Middle-of-road accident quarrel ends in tragedy

A driver was killed and another injured after they hit by a lorry as they were standing in the middle lane of a busy Kowloon-bound section of Tate's Cairn Highway arguing about liability for an earlier sideswipe yesterday.

The tragedy occurred when the 10.4-tonne lorry plowed into the back of the car.

The 58-year-old lorry driver was arrested on charges of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

The car and a taxi were heading toward Kowloon at about 10.35 am, when dashboard camera footage from the latter showed the sideswipe occurring near Pictorial Garden housing estate when the cabbie attempted to overtake the car by cutting into its lane.

The vehicles then continued for about 20 seconds before stopping in the middle of the three-lane highway, whereupon the men engaged in a heated argument after first eyeballing the damage.

They tried to flee about 70 seconds later, when they saw that the truck was barrelling down on their vehicles.

The car driver, standing on the right side of his vehicle nearer the fast lane and the cabbie, who was between their two cars, tried to escape.

The lorry struck the rear of the car despite its driver trying to get into the fast lane at the last minute.

He called in the police after discovering the two men, who had lost consciousness.

The 53-year-old taxi driver, who suffered minor injuries, was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital, while the severely injured 68-year-old sedan driver was treated at the scene before being transferred to the hospital.

Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at about 11.30 am.

The taxi driver sustained head injuries and complained of pelvic area pain. The New Territories South traffic unit is investigating.

A section of the lanes on the Kowloon-bound side of the highway near Shek Mun Interchange was closed from 11 am to 4 pm.

Hong Kong Automobile Association president Ringo Lee Yiu-pui said it was extremely dangerous for drivers to confront each other at such a spot and that they should have negotiated at a safe location.

"If there are no injuries, drivers can first pull over into a safe location, such as the slow lane on the left side of the highwaydrivers and all passengers should then get out of vehicles and stand in a safe spot, for example, on the shoulder or behind the crash barrier."