Belgium: A man has been hospitalised after a traffic pole in Brussels city centre pierced his car, which resulted in life-threatening injuries.
The city’s centre is mainly free from cars after the implementation of Brussels’ new circulation plan. But increased mobility of cyclists and pedestrians comes at a price for motorists, particularly for Marnix Decuyper, whose car was pierced by one of the new traffic poles.
Moreover, Decuyper was driving on the Rue de la Grande Ile towards Place Fountains when a retractable pole, which is part of the new circulation plan, suddenly increased from the ground and pierced his car’s engine. He is currently in the health care centre with several injuries.
Decuyper mentioned in the statement, “I’m a real estate expert and pass by Brussels every week. I know the area and have never had any problems, but when I was following the car in front of me yesterday, I suddenly felt a huge bang.”
He stated he had not noticed there was a pole. “It must have come up at an enormous speed because the sensors of my car did not go off.”
The impact caused the airbags of his car to go off, resulting in various injuries for Decuyper. “My arms are burned, my leg is open with cut, my glasses are broken, and my chest is crushed.”
In spite of suffering from several injuries, Decuyper initially declined to get in an ambulance. Meanwhile, he became unwell after the incident and is currently in a health care centre in Aalst.
Along with this, the retractable pole in question has recently been installed at Rue de la Grande Ile 78, where only residents are permitted to drive since the new circulation plan to came into action. As per the city of Brussels, this is not a case of a technical defect.
“That car was not allowed to go there. Plenty of signs clearly indicate that cars can no longer pass there,” stated François Descamps, who is the spokesman for Alderman for Mobility and Public Works Bart Dhondt.
Descamps highlighted, “The sign in question states that there is a tolerance period until 1 October for people who get lost in the new circulation plan, but that does not mean that people can just drive around without authorisation.”
The retractable pole in question has recently been installed at Rue de la Grande Ile 78, where only residents are allowed to drive since the new circulation plan came into action. According to the City of Brussels, this is not a case of a technical defect.
