Collision between car and motorcycle sends rider smashing into lorry

The lorry driver was waiting at the traffic light of a cross junction when he heard a crash and saw his windscreen shatter.

"I didn't know what hit it. I was stunned. It happened really fast," said Mr Zhang Hong Jian.

After he recovered from the shock, he realised that a car and a motorcycle had collided in front of his lorry.

The impact sent the rider and his motorcycle flying towards Mr Zhang's lorry, smashing into the driver's door and causing a huge dent.

At the same time, his lorry's windscreen also shattered.

Mr Zhang, 26, who was delivering vegetables, told The New Paper last night in Mandarin: "Everybody rushed forward to help. Beside me was a public bus and all the passengers alighted.

"I couldn't open my door, so I had to get out through the passenger door."

To his horror, he later found out that the motorcyclist had lost a foot in the accident, which involved seven vehicles including his lorry.

The horrific multiple-vehicle crash happened on Thursday at about 10pm at the junction of Sembawang Way and Woodlands Avenue 10.

The impact of the crash sent the car hurtling towards a taxi next to Mr Zhang's lorry, another motorcycle, a van and the bus.

There were shattered glass and metal pieces flying in all directions.

All five vehicles were waiting at the traffic junction.

It is unclear how the second motorcycle, which was at the junction just in front of Mr Zhang's lorry, was hit.

HOSPITAL

Police said three men - the 34-year-old driver of the car and two motorcyclists aged 32 and 34 - were injured and taken conscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The New Paper understands that the 34-year-old motorcyclist was the one whose foot was severed. He was riding a Malaysian-registered motorcycle.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said it sent three ambulances, one fire engine, one Red Rhino and one fire bike to the accident scene.

The crash created a huge traffic jam which lasted for hours.

Mr Zhang, who was shaken but unhurt, said his lorry and the other four vehicles were waiting at the traffic light of the four-lane Woodlands Avenue 7, heading towards Sembawang Way, when the accident happened.

It is believed that the car, which was travelling from the right side of the cross junction, was making a right turn when it collided with the motorcycle, which was coming from the opposite direction.

Mr Zhang said: "The rider was pinned underneath his motorcycle which we moved to help him. After that, we waited for the police because we couldn't do much more."

He was unsure who called the police.

Mr Zhang said the motorcyclist was unconscious after the crash. His trousers were soaked in blood.

He added: "All the five vehicles were affected as there were glass shards flying around."

He later found a portable powerbank inside his lorry, which he suspected could have caused his windscreen to crack.

Mr Zhang said he also found something that looked like a piece of human flesh the size of a finger dangling from the top right corner of his windscreen.

He said: "I didn't know where the severed foot went. It could have gone underneath my lorry. I saw a paramedic put the foot into a transparent bag."

The driver of the taxi, who gave his name only as Mr Zhuo, 64, told Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao that his in-vehicle camera recorded the accident.

He said the car had hit a road divider before it smashed head-on into his taxi, which was in the first lane.

"Luckily, the car hit the divider first and reduced its force, which was why I was not hurt," said Mr Zhuo.

"The car's safety airbag was inflated and SCDF officers helped the driver out of his seat.

The scene was cleared by about 2am and Mr Zhang, who had started work at about 9pm, continued to deliver vegetables to a rice roll shop.

He said: "This was the first time I have witnessed such a horrific accident.

"I was affected by it - I didn't feel good for the whole day. I try not to think about it."

Police are investigating.

chaihyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 5, 2016.
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