An Adelaide Hills mother stopped a truck driver herself after she said she watched the truck veer into oncoming traffic on a narrow road with her young daughter in the car. According to 7NEWS, Carly Atkinson was driving behind the truck in late March when she became worried about the way it was moving along North East Road. Police later said the 34-year-old Victorian driver tested positive for cannabis and methamphetamine at the scene.
The truck was traveling from Inglewood in the Adelaide Hills to Mount Gambier, according to 7NEWS. Footage from Atkinson’s dashcam showed the truck repeatedly crossing onto the wrong side of the road. Several vehicles coming the other way had to move aside as the truck continued along the narrow, winding road.
Atkinson called police and continued recording the truck’s movements. She told 7NEWS she felt she had to do something because the truck had narrowly missed several cars. When the truck eventually stopped at an intersection, she left her daughter safely in the car and walked up to the driver.
Atkinson said she first asked the driver if he was all right. She said he told her he was lost, so she asked him to turn off the truck so she could hear him. Once the truck was off, Atkinson told him he was driving dangerously and asked him to hand over the keys.
How Carly Atkinson Stopped the Truck
According to 7NEWS, Atkinson took the truck driver’s keys and logbook after getting him to stop. She then waited for police and handed both items over when officers arrived. The report said patrol officers intercepted the vehicle at Chain of Ponds just after 3:30 p.m. on March 25.
The driver had been operating a B-double truck, which is restricted to approved routes in South Australia. North East Road is not included in the 26-meter B-double network, according to 7NEWS. That meant the truck was not only being driven dangerously, but was also on a road where that type of vehicle was not supposed to be.
What Police Said About the Truck Driver
South Australia Police said patrols responded after a concerned motorist reported the truck. A police spokesperson told 7NEWS the driver was off route and tested positive for cannabis and methamphetamine. Police issued him an immediate 24-hour direction not to drive.
The spokesperson also said the driver was issued with a three-month loss of license while the sample was sent for forensic testing. The report did not say whether any additional charges had been filed. However, police confirmed the truck was intercepted after Atkinson’s report and after she stopped the driver from continuing.