GPS blamed as truck crashes on steep road

A TRUCK driver led astray by his GPS device drove onto a road unsuitable for heavy vehicles and crashed, narrowly avoiding an 80 metre drop.

Police said the 49-year-old man from Ipswich was lucky to escape his semi-trailer when it rolled on a gravel corner at Mapleton in the Sunshine Coast hinterland yesterday morning.

The truck came to rest against a tree, dangling over an 80 metre drop.

The driver said he was following instructions from his GPS to travel between Brisbane and Kenilworth when it directed him onto Obi Obi Rd, which was unsuitable for heavy vehicles.

A Queensland Police spokesman said the driver had passed a warning sign at the bottom of the steep road that prohibited large truck access.

Police and the Department of Transport will investigate.

A spokesman for the RACQ said the state's changeable weather and road conditions meant it was wise for drivers to check road conditions before they set out, instead of relying on GPS alone.

News.com.au