Friesland trucker sentenced for fatal A27 crash that killed man waiting on shoulder
A 37-year-old truck driver has been sentenced to 240 hours of community service and a one-year suspended driving ban for causing a deadly collision on the A27 highway near Almere, RTL reported. The incident occurred on March 1 of last year and resulted in the death of a 31-year-old man from Lelystad, who was standing on the shoulder after a previous accident.
The Lelystad court issued its ruling Tuesday, convicting the driver, identified as Sjouke van K. from Kollumerzwaag in Friesland, of “significantly careless and inattentive driving.” Prosecutors had sought a much harsher penalty: eight months in prison, half of it conditional, and a three-year driving ban, of which two years would be conditional.
The court imposed a lighter sentence than the prosecution requested, concluding that Van K.’s actions did not meet the legal threshold for recklessness. “The court does not assume recklessness, but rather significantly careless and inattentive driving behavior,” the ruling stated.
The victim had crashed into the rear of another truck shortly before the fatal collision and had exited his vehicle to wait on the shoulder of the highway. Just one minute later, Van K. struck him with his truck.
The court found that Van K. failed to pay adequate attention to the road and other drivers. While it could not be proven that he was distracted by his mobile phone at the exact moment of the crash, evidence showed that he had used his phone “frequently” while driving, including shortly before the collision. However, there was no indication that he had the phone in his hands at the time.
In its verdict, the court emphasized Van K.'s responsibility as an experienced professional truck driver. He had been operating a truck with a trailer, which requires a longer braking distance than a passenger car.
“Additionally, in a collision involving such a heavy vehicle, other road users face greater danger than in a collision involving a passenger car,” the court ruled.
The court also pointed to the specific risks posed by the size and weight of the vehicle Van K. was operating. These factors, combined with his inattention, contributed to the fatal outcome.
Van K.’s suspended driving ban will only take effect if he reoffends. The court imposed the sentence as a means to hold him accountable without immediately removing his ability to work as a truck driver. The case reportedly drew attention during trial after it emerged that Van K. had been using Facebook and WhatsApp while driving, although it could not be established that this caused the exact moment of distraction that led to the crash.
