Lorry driver misses death by inches as wooden pole smashes through screen and spears seat
A lorry driver was lucky to escape serious injury when a wooden post speared through his front window and impaled itself into the passenger seat today.
The vehicle had overturned on the M42 and paramedics say the driver was 'incredibly lucky' not to have been badly hurt.
Investigations are now under way into the cause of the crash on the northbound carriageway of the M42 near Tamworth. No other vehicles were involved.
It caused major tailbacks in the area near the crash site.
West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to scene, between junctions 10 and 11, just after 6.30am and sent an ambulance and a paramedic area support officer.
Spokesman Jamie Arrowsmith said: "The driver, a man in his 40s, was incredibly lucky to avoid being seriously injured in the incident.
"His lorry had overturned and left the motorway prior to the post entering the cab and although we do not know why that happened, we do know there were no other vehicles involved in the incident.
"Ambulance crews assessed the man, who had managed to get himself free from the vehicle, at the scene before taking him to Queens Hospital, Burton, as a precaution.
"The incident did lead to a significant build-up of traffic in the area."