Karuah Crash: B-Double Truck Rolls Down Embankment on M1 Highway

What happened

Incident Overview

On Tuesday, 2 July 2024, a B-double truck rolled down an embankment into a creek on the M1 Highway near Karuah, north of Newcastle, NSW. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning at approximately 3:00am when the truck driver took evasive action to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

NSW Police attended the scene and conducted a full investigation. The 53-year-old truck driver was uninjured and provided a negative breath test result at the scene.

Location and Time

The crash occurred on the M1 Highway near Karuah, north of Newcastle, at approximately 3:00am on Tuesday morning, 2 July 2024.

Vehicles Involved

Vehicle 1

• Make/Model: B-double truck
• Direction: northbound
• Driver: 53-year-old male (uninjured)

Vehicle 2

• Make/Model: Unknown vehicle
• Direction: unknown
• Driver: unknown

Injuries / Fatalities

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• None reported.

Community Impact

The southbound lanes of the M1 Highway were closed following the incident, with traffic diverted through Karuah. Road closures and diversions remained in place until Tuesday afternoon to allow for scene clearance and investigation.

Emergency Response

NSW Police and emergency services attended the scene in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The B-double’s trailers detached during the rollover and came to rest on the grass median strip. The truck driver was assessed at the scene and provided a negative breath test result.

Investigation

NSW Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash. According to police, the B-double truck was overtaking another vehicle when the second vehicle veered into its path, forcing the truck driver to take evasive action that resulted in the rollover. Police are appealing for dashcam footage or any relevant information from witnesses who may have been travelling on the M1 Highway near Karuah in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Appeal for Information

NSW Police are seeking dashcam footage or any relevant information from witnesses to the incident. Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact NSW Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.