(Update – 4:18 p.m.: While the documentation/findings in this incident have not been formally concluded, police say initial signs are that the driver of the truck was not at fault.)
A dump truck owned by PKB Contractors, Inc., of Levittown struck a parked vehicle on North Main Street in New Hope, narrowly missing the car’s driver, at around 10:40 a.m. Monday morning, according to a witness at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle, which was parked on the west side of North Main Street near Fishers Alley, apparently opened her car door as the southbound dump truck approached. A nearby shop owner who asked not be identified said the truck appeared to be traveling “too fast” in his opinion, and also indicated that the driver of the car appeared shaken, but uninjured.
While the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour on Main Street, New Hope’s narrow Colonial-era roads make it nearly impossible for two large vehicles to pass one another safely in many places.
Truck involved in accident Monday morning.
It it is not known yet whether this particular truck was laden with stone from the New Hope Crushed Stone & Lime Quarry just a few miles up the road, but quarry trucks are a common site on New Hope streets. They are frequently observed traveling at a high rate of speed, and often seen ignoring a traffic signal at Main and Bridge streets.
It is not yet known whether the driver of the dump truck merely had unfortunate timing, or was cited by police as as result of the accident. We’ll update this story as we receive additional information from law enforcement.
These trucks have nearly hit me head on several times over the past year and are almost always speeding. Every morning they fly up the river from 95. They need to find a new route. 202 can handle the trucks Main Street cannot. I’m just happy only a car door was damaged.
This article is infuriating. It makes it seem like the truck driver was completely at fault, not the lady who opened her door before checking to make sure it was safe. It’s New Hope. Not only are the streets skinny, but there are so many people that it is quite difficult to travel more than 25mph. I know for a fact that the truck driver was not speeding, nor was he issued any sort of citation. On top of that, he did not “have unfortunate timing.” This was a woman in a rush, not using her common sense, and paying for it. Everyone is grateful that no one was injured, and maybe next time she will be more careful. If you’re going to point fingers, make sure they’re pointing the right way.