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M5 Pile-Up Leaves Lorry Driver Dead

M5

First Posted: 14/12/11 06:21 GMT Updated: 14/12/11 06:27 GMT   PA

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One carriageway of the M5 remains closed after a pile-up that left a lorry driver dead.

The northbound carriageway was closed last night after the accident, and was not expected to reopen until 10am.

The accident, which involved two cars and three lorries, happened on the northbound carriageway in Gloucestershire, between junctions 10 and 11.

Gloucestershire Police said the accident was believed to have involved the two cars and three lorries at 9.30pm.

The driver of one of the lorries died at the scene. No one else was believed to be seriously injured.

The northbound carriageway was closed for a collision investigation to take place, and the Highways Agency said on its website that it was expected to reopen at 10am.

In a separate crash nearby on Tuesday night, Gloucestershire Police said there was a head-on collision on the A40 near Northleach just before 9.30pm.

A spokesman said: "Police received a report of erratic driving at 9.25pm and moments later a blue Vauxhall Astra collided with a white Ford Transit van.

"The fire service and ambulance service attended and cut a man out of one of the vehicles. The drivers of both vehicles have injuries that are not believed to be life threatening at this time."

The road was also closed for investigations to take place.

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One carriageway of the M5 remains closed after a pile-up that left a lorry driver dead. The northbound carriageway was closed last night after the accident, and was not expected to reopen until ...
One carriageway of the M5 remains closed after a pile-up that left a lorry driver dead. The northbound carriageway was closed last night after the accident, and was not expected to reopen until ...
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Werewolfy
0 Fans
12:53 PM on 12/14/2011
Nice photo of Junction 25 Southbound in Somerset. Is this important when the accident is said to have happened between Jnct 10 and 11 Northbound?

Perhaps there were ten lorries involved..or maybe one or two. Perhaps 70 cars, or maybe a mobile scooter? If the photograph heading the story is so inaccurate, why should anyone take notice of the account?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mfa11e
Tell the truth ,regardless
196 Fans
12:03 PM on 12/14/2011
You cant expect AOL/Huff Post to get things correct.They are extreme censors,If they dont like it ,it is not printed,so much for freedom of the press
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get with it
0 Fans
11:47 AM on 12/14/2011
i do not think its fair to speculate whos to blaime and the majority seem to blaime lorry drivers! one lorry driver died for goodness sake have some respect.
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BryanBillau
5 Fans
11:34 AM on 12/14/2011
I wish that AOL, or HuffPost if you must, would at least get the picture a little more from the right area. Yes that is the M5, but in Somerset. This accident was near Cheltenham and Gloucester. Tailgating is almost bound to have caused the accident, and truckers are often the worst offenders, and I say that as an ex truck driver. Meanwhile, cars hugging the middle lane and pulling out without looking in their mirrors, are even worse.
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BrienneM
3 Fans
11:11 AM on 12/14/2011
My husband and I were near that spot on Monday night and so thankful not last night but we were very nearly in an accident Monday night going towards Bristol from Gloucester. A large forklift semi truck (lorry) was in front of us and a small car darted in front of him and because it was pouring rain and the roads were really wet the truck driver went off the road when he tried to stop to not hit the car and took out some orange cones and just managed to not hit the guard rail and swerved back onto the road. We were only doing about 30 as an exit was coming up but if we had all been travelling faster, I think that little car could have killed a few of us.
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waddytog
97 Fans
11:04 AM on 12/14/2011
the motorways are not policed enough, i do a regular run between southport and cardiff and return and do not see one police vehicle.
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LordHawHaw
5 Fans
11:19 AM on 12/14/2011
They are all sat in their canteen drinking tea & eating bacon butties
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LordHawHaw
5 Fans
11:21 AM on 12/14/2011
they are sat in their canteen eating bacon butties
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Scam2
23 Fans
09:49 AM on 12/14/2011
In the majority of motorway accidents there always seem to be lorries involved !! Of course there are the idiot car drivers who cause accidents, but until there is something done about lorries tailgating and speeding nothing is going to change and accidents like this will continue.
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cariadbach
1 Fans
12:22 PM on 12/14/2011
Lorries speeding? Did you not know their engines are regulated to 56 MPH. I'm married to a lorry driver and quite honestly an awful lot of accidents seem to be caused by impatient car drivers trying to get ahead of lorries and also pulling out assuming the oncoming lorry is travelling very slowly....it takes far longer for air brakes to engage especially on a laden vehicle, 300 feet for example at 30MPH. Please check your facts
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SallyCycle
41 Fans
01:28 PM on 12/14/2011
Maybe it's time to take the lorries off the roads and put the freight on the rail network. Controversial I know, but it's worth considering.

Or, just reduce the speed limit on motorways, and rigorously enforce it.
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tardbaz
0 Fans
02:01 PM on 12/14/2011
56MPH??? I've just driven back from Newcastle Airport travelling south on the A1 (M) sitting behind a Volvo lorry doing at least 70MPH and only overtook it up a long incline coming up to the Sedgefield turnoff.. so that's 25 mile I sheltered behind him, probably getting an extra 10MPG, had a 10 minute kip/rest while I was tucked in there.
As for air brakes.. they can be instant and way too good for the tyres to cope.. thats why you always see a plume of tyre-smoke during heavy lorry braking! Just before the impact, if the driver is awake, that is.
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indlovubill
31 Fans
12:25 PM on 12/14/2011
There are manymore collisions involving cars but lorries are much heavier, more kinetic energy so when lorries are involved fatalities are much more likely.
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blujag
25 Fans
09:47 AM on 12/14/2011
Trucks are limited to 56mph, another stupid EU rule, as a result of this they are sitting on one anothers bumpers, no health and safety here then, why don't the hauliers and drivers park up and get it sorted. They are the most powerful workers in the land, time to unite.
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Roger47
41 Fans
11:34 AM on 12/14/2011
Just because they are limited to 56mph does not mean they have to drive dangerously by tailgating.
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blujag
25 Fans
02:35 PM on 12/14/2011
Take it you've never been a trukie then.
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Torquinian
2 Fans
09:42 AM on 12/14/2011
Do the police really need to close a busy motorway for 12 hours to take measurements? They should get the traffic moving ASAP.
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Huffington reporter
49 Fans
10:51 AM on 12/14/2011
Agree, but motorist is low priority. I am always impressed with how quickly emergency services respond to serious incidents. How quickly injured are whisked away to hospital. But then we have hours and hours of waiting for evidence gathering and crash investigation; having to wait for "experts" to be brought from hundreds of miles away to measure skidmarks!
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ideaville
I have sexdaily, I mean dyslexia, Danm!
250 Fans
09:37 AM on 12/14/2011
Sadly, we never seem to learn how to drive in bad weather. Tailgating is one of the biggest problems and I've never understood the attraction of driving so close to the car in front, or fog lights when it's raining for that matter. Speed limits make no difference. I did quite a lot of driving in the South West yesterday and it did appear to be "National Drive Like A C**t Day"!
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BrienneM
3 Fans
11:14 AM on 12/14/2011
We live in Gloucester and I would say 80% of the time we leave the house someone is always in the wrong lane of a roundabout or something and cuts over, it never fails. My husband is a good driver but that won't save us from everyone else. You are right about the south west.
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LordHawHaw
5 Fans
11:23 AM on 12/14/2011
One of them are usefull
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Brunel1859
17 Fans
09:27 AM on 12/14/2011
In my view, cars should be fitted with a 70mph limiter, the speed limit is 70mph on British motorways, that is the fastest speed the law allows for us. What is the problem?
The problem is car sales would slump, people wouldn't pay exhorbitant amounts for 4x4's that do 10 gallons to the mile and the government wouldn't rake in millions from fuel sales. So for that reason, we have to suffer the idiotic drivers who buy these ridiculously large and fast vehicles that they haven't got the intellingence to handle properly nor the skills and they will be allowed to continue to endanger the lives of others and take the lives of others.
If you're one of the people I've described, could your conscience take the death of another human being and the devastation it would bring to their family? If so, you shouldn't be where other people are, you should be sectioned before the inevitable happens, If you're not, I'd think seriously about your driving.
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BrienneM
3 Fans
11:21 AM on 12/14/2011
We drive a large vehicle I guess, a land rover freelander because we often need to take multiple cats to the vet (we have 10) and I like to buy large things so we need it, however even though it is kinda big, it has the same size motor in it as a few small cars so we can't even go around someone most of the time if we wanted to because it hasn't got enough juice when you hit the gas. No danger from us. We are careful drivers and don't really have the choice but to go the speed limit :)
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jenny taylia
56 Fans
09:20 AM on 12/14/2011
the good old standard reply "and they want to increase the speed limit" its as predictable as "bring back hanging" on every murder story....yawn.
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LordHawHaw
5 Fans
11:24 AM on 12/14/2011
why increase the speed limit
you drive @ 70 everyone flies past you !
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SallyCycle
41 Fans
08:26 AM on 12/14/2011
And they want to increase the speed limit?
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Torquinian
2 Fans
10:55 AM on 12/14/2011
Drivers take no notice of the limits anyway. I cruise at 65-70 which is an economical speed in my car, and I am being passed all the time, BMWs Audis and of course "white van man".
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SallyCycle
41 Fans
11:10 AM on 12/14/2011
If it is a white van, with the company name on, make a note of it and report it to the company. I do, when safe to do so.
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Huffington reporter
49 Fans
10:55 AM on 12/14/2011
Lets go back to horse and cart! No crashes then!
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SallyCycle
41 Fans
11:08 AM on 12/14/2011
Don't be silly; but reducing the speed limit, and actively enforcing it, will help prevent accidents.
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Barbara Longstaff
106 Fans
08:01 AM on 12/14/2011
When I drive on the Motor way I have this in my mind "Better to be 10 minutes late than never reach your destination at all". Drivers on the Motor Ways drive too fast and eractic and cannot handle their big powerful cars. 70mph is a nice steady pace which suits mosts drivers and Lorries should be limited to a lower lever say 60mph as they drive too fast and when they have to stop they cannot because of their big load. I am sorry for the drive who lost his life May he rest in Peace, and condolences to his family.
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Huffington reporter
49 Fans
10:54 AM on 12/14/2011
Your philosophy is admirable, but for most of us, life sometimes gets in the way!
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Torquinian
2 Fans
10:57 AM on 12/14/2011
Life is what we are talking about. I am older and wiser, and hope to keep on getting older.
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