New details released on tractor bridge accident
11th September 2025
New details have emerged about the accident in which a tractor fell from a bridge near Wrotham.
According to Kent Police, a tractor travelling on the A227 Gravesend Road on 18th August became separated from its trailer and subsequently fell onto the central reservation between junctions two and three of the M20.
Footage circulating on social media shows a trailer being pulled by the tractor swaying on a roundabout before detaching.
Mick Gould Commercials Ltd, which attended the scene to help clear the road after the accident, took to social media in response to widespread media speculation.
A spokesperson for the company said: “The video shows the tractor/trailer combination approaching the roundabout at a speed only slightly above where it probably ought to have been. The speed was not ridiculously fast, the trailer would have overturned on the first turn of the roundabout if it had of been.
“The trailer did become unsettled as the driver followed the curve of the roundabout, lifting the trailer wheels slightly. The problem became far more serious as he left the roundabout and headed out of the right turn, converting his direction to the left.
“The momentum of the load/trailer was too much at the point of the directional change, centrifugal force taking over and causing a pendulum effect, overturning the trailer. As the trailer overturned, the drawbar’s height naturally increased, lifting the rear of the tractor off the ground. The trailer continued to slide along, essentially jack-knifing the semi raised tractor and aiming it straight at the barrier.
“At this point, the pick up hitch (drawbar connection), decided it had had enough and released the tractor (the hitch was not faulty, it was simply exposed to shock and torsional loads above normal levels). Still travelling at a reasonable speed.”
READ MORE: Tractor plunges from bridge onto M20
Tractor driver was airlifted to hospital
The team at Mick Gould Commercials explained that, even if fully composed, the tractor driver would probably not have sufficient room or time to do anything about the situation. The tractor crashed into the barrier before falling down into the central reservation below.
The company added: “The safety cabs on industrial/agricultural machines produced these days are tested to a high standard. Clearly, the forces involved in this accident were above the expected impact levels the machines are certified for.
“The roof was literally pushed firmly onto the seat and steering wheel, crushing them in the process. By some miracle, the driver must have become unseated prior to the final impact, ending up on one side of the area where he would have been sitting when driving the machine. He was injured but had survived.”
The tractor driver was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.
Mick Gould Commercials appeared at the scene to lift the tractor back up.
Company’s spokesperson added: “We weren’t allowed to move the trailer for some time, as the bridge engineers had been called to assess the damage before we were allowed to work.
“The trailer was laden with pallets of strawberries, and when it overturned, it had torn the curtain that was on the ground to shreds. Many suggest that the combination was employed on haulage work normally performed by LGVs.”
The company said that the load was probably en route to a packhouse or farm where it would be prepared to be sold on market.
“Often we use air bags, multiple straps and a lot of hard work to hopefully raise the trailers loaded. In this case, each pallet/tray of strawberries was going to be unsupported when we righted the trailer. The load would also be severely damaged from the accident and probably worthless.
“A decision was made to lift the trailer off the load using both rotators before righting it whilst in the air. This would allow us to keep the load in a fairly compact pile and also prevent any further damage to the trailer.”
Once the trailer was removed from the scene, workers removed the larger plastic trays before calling a local company to attend with a grab lorry and remove the debris.
Driver’s survival ‘a miracle’
A spokesperson for Mick Gould Commercials added: “Over the years, we have seen many many accidents and dealt with the aftermath.
“Some have tragic outcomes, some are quite funny, and then you get the odd miracle. This one is without doubt, probably one of the most amazing miracles we have ever seen.
“The trailer toppled onto the lane of oncoming traffic without involving any other vehicles; the tractor fell onto a particularly busy coastal motorway and landed directly on the central reservation, avoiding all flowing traffic.
“But the greatest miracle was the survival of the driver. When one looks at the wreckage, it really is hard to envisage just how anyone could have found a place in the crushed cab where they were able to fit without tragic consequences. It simply does not seem possible.”
The company confirmed that the driver is currently recovering from his injuries. The tractor has been totally destroyed, however, the trailer will probably be repaired. The area of motorway was resurfaced, and the barriers replaced.
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