Iqbal Singh causes fatal head-on collision between prime movers on Glenelg Highway

A man driving a “fully laden” prime mover on a rural road west of Ballarat steered into an oncoming truck and caused the death of a father has learnt his fate in court.

Iqbal Singh faced Ballarat County Court over a fatal 2021 collision in Carranballac.

A truck driver who caused a fatal head-on collision between two prime movers on a rural road west of Ballarat remains traumatised by the incident nearly two-and-a-half years later, a court has heard.

Iqbal Singh appeared in Ballarat County Court on Friday, where it was heard that on May 12, 2021, he was driving a prime mover “fully laden” with grain on the Glenelg Highway at Carranballac.

Another truck driver was in front of him, but had slowed behind a tractor driving on the 100km/h road, which had a single lane in each direction.

The weather was clear and the road dry, the court heard.

Near a bend in the road, Singh, who was 30, came up behind the other truck driver at 98km/h.

He applied the brakes late and steered to the right, hitting part of the truck and forcing it off the road while crossing over the road’s centre line.

Singh, who the court heard was on a hands-free phone conversation leading up to the collision, drove directly into the path of another prime mover.

Both were “compressed” and left the highway.

Iqbal Singh pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death at Ballarat County Court.

After a brief period of unconsciousness, Singh got out of his truck and was “desperate to help” the other driver, who was stuck in his cabin and died at the scene.

Singh was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and treated for three days, with glass having to be removed from his head and near his eye.

Blood testing revealed no substances were involved in the incident.

The mother of the deceased victim said her son’s death had “left a hole in her life” that could not be filled.

The 37-year-old South Australian man was a father and uncle.

The court heard Singh was traumatised by the crash and had “deep remorse” about it.

He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment.

Singh’s licence was also cancelled and he was disqualified from driving for 18 months.