Yesterday, a police spokesman said the south-bound truck, with two trailers, was carrying a mixed load which included biscuits, anti-freeze and motor oil.
As it approached the overbridge, a four-wheel-drive vehicle was coming in the opposite direction.
For ‘‘whatever reason'', the truck driver hit the edge of the bridge and lost his load which was strewn along the road. There was no collision with the other vehicle.
The truck driver, his wife and their 7-year-old son were taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital.
The Christchurch-based truck was extensively damaged.
When contacted, highway patrol Sergeant Pete Muldrew said there had been ongoing concerns about that section of road.
He and another officer had recently been taking photographs of motorists crossing the centre line and had issued ‘‘quite a few'' notices.
Just over a month ago, a truck and trailer was seen ‘‘a good metre and a half'' across the centre line and there was potential for disaster, he said.
When contacted, Transit New Zealand regional network manager Murray Clarke said Transit was very aware the road was very narrow under the bridge and there were visibility problems.
Thursday's crash was serious and could have been a lot worse.
It had raised awareness of the issue again and Transit would try and push improvements forward as a priority because of the safety ramifications, he said.
Consultation had also been undertaken on reducing the speed limit to 80kmh, although that had been more for the Alma area, further south. That consultation process, involving police, Land Transport, Automobile Association and the Waitaki District Council, needed to be concluded.
