PARKSVILLE — A wheel fell off a truck on Hwy. 19A in Parksville, causing it to hit an SUV head-on, temporarily shutting down the busy road.
RCMP Central Island Traffic Services Sgt. Darrin Ramey said the crash happened at about 11:15 a.m. Thursday just south of the orange bridge in Parksville, where a mechanical failure sent the southbound truck across the highway.
Ramey said the northbound SUV then careened to the other side of traffic and sideswiped a van.
“Luckily the only injury was a sprained thumb, I think that’s a testament to the engineering of newer vehicles.”
Ramey said all three vehicles had only a driver inside.
He said a crash like this shows it’s important for drivers to always pay attention to the road, since the unexpected can happen at any time.
“You always have to be aware of what’s going on. Driving is probably the most dangerous thing that people do on a day-to-day basis.”