Severe weather leads to crash, Tow truck operator lives to tell the tale

WE amble along as a society through our daily existence, always thinking that we have time.

We know that misfortunes occur every day but, to other people, in other places – not to us. We are often unprepared when life comes along and corrects our way of thinking.

For tow truck operators and emergency services, this mindset has no place in their daily operations, as they place themselves at the frontlines of the misfortunes and despair of others, in order to assist the victims of road crashes.

“You may think that these things only happen to other people,” reflects tow truck operator, Pieter Fourie. “But for us, every time we get behind the wheel, we wonder if we’re coming home to our families at the end of the day…”

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The previous Monday morning, Fourie posted a picture to his Facebook profile, with the words, ‘I am a tow truck operator. Of course I’m crazy! Do you think a sane person would do this job?’

The same Monday evening, as a massive storm tore through Vryheid and near-torrential rain brought about highly treacherous conditions, leading to a multitude of collisions on the roads surrounding AbaQulusi, Fourie’s Facebook post unwittingly served as an ominous premonition of what lay ahead.

As he headed out along the Kambula road to an accident scene near Paulpietersburg, Fourie came face to face with a chilling reminder of just how fine the line between life and death is as a tow truck operator…

“On my way to the accident,” he explains, as he relives the moments before his life flashed before his eyes, “ I slacked down as I passed the sawmill as there was a lot of water pooled in parts of the road due to the heavy rain. It wasn’t safe to drive any faster…” he points out.

“The other vehicle, a white bakkie, was coming towards me from the direction of Paulpiet when it hit the water and lost control,” he recalls. “It was airborne for a few moments and it lost control again as it landed on the road and spun towards me. It came at me sideways and I knew that there was going to be a crash, no matter which way I tried to avoid it. I swerved to deflect as much of the impact as possible and ended up hitting the bin of the bakkie instead of the cab. If I had hit the cab,” he shakes his head, “this could have been a very different story…”

“The only way I can think of to describe the feeling as you’re watching the vehicle coming towards you and you know there’s going to be a crash,” he elaborates, pausing and trailing off as he relives the initial shock. “I saw him coming…” he looks up again. “That sound of the impact… I did what I could and then closed my eyes for a moment and prayed. I don’t wish this kind of experience on my worst enemy,” he says, earnestly.

“It’s just like standing in front of a loaded gun – that’s how it felt,” he adds, closing off his initial description of the stomach-churning feeling of watching helplessly as the other vehicle hurtled towards him.

“And, after everything,” he says, a smile spreading across his face as he looks across the room at his loving wife and children, still reasonably shaken by the near death experience, “you know how much more I appreciate life…?”

With either luck on his side, or someone very almighty watching over him, whichever way you look at it, Pieter Fourie escaped with only moderate injuries, including a gash on his left knee which required six stitches, a few abrasions on his right knee and forehead and some internal bruising on his chest and abdomen.

“I can’t complain,” he adds. “I know that the company I work for actually cares about me,” he states proudly as he describes how Brandon Gaskell remained at his side at the scene of the collision, as well as during his treatment at the hospital.

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Brandon Gaskell, when offered the opportunity to comment on the incident and his unwavering compassion for his staff, responds, “These guys are not just employees to us. We’re family…”

“My biggest fear now,” says Fourie, “is getting back behind the wheel and feeling comfortable on the road again,” he concludes. “I’m humbled by the compassion and support of the Vryheid community. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since the crash, with people checking to see if I’m okay. Thank you all.”

Bernard Haasbroek, the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, also managed to escape with only minor injuries. He advises motorists to travel with caution on the road between Vryheid and Paulpietersburg.

“These roads are very bad,” he states solemnly, after his harrowing experience along the Kambula road, “even when the weather isn’t a factor. When I hit that patch of water and lost control of the vehicle,” he explains, “after everything, I only remember looking up at the road ahead of me and seeing the other vehicle standing there… It was frightening, but I can’t even describe the relief that came over me when I realised that we were both okay. It could have been so much worse…” he adds.

“Please be careful on the roads,” is his plea to the community.

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