The highway was closed in both directions at Guyong just before 8am after an elderly couple turned right out of a driveway, towards Orange.

A flatbed truck laden with cargo travelling west collided with the back of the two-door Daihatsu.

The truck was clipped by a second, empty, flatbed truck also travelling west.

A third flatbed truck, carrying logs eastbound, clipped the car and the first truck, crossed onto the wrong side of the road and stopped on the verge.

Multiple cars were also caught in the incident, with a navy Suzuki Vitara sustaining the worst of the damage.  

The male Daihatsu passenger, aged in his 80s, was treated at Orange Health Service for a broken rib, while the unloaded truck’s driver, aged in his 40s, was treated for a cut to his leg.

The road reopened mid-morning.

Lucknow Rural Fire Brigade captain Mick Bloomfield said the unit had attended 26 accidents between Vittoria Road and Lucknow in the past two years.

He said six accidents had occurred within 300 metres of Thursday’s accident site.

“I don’t know why it’s so dangerous,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s the road at all, I reckon a big percentage is fatigue, but mostly they just don’t drive to the conditions or sensibly.” 

Mr Bloomfield believed there would have been four fatalities if the eastbound truck driver had not taken evasive action. 

“They were very, very lucky,” he said. 

“It could’ve been one of the worst fatalities we’ve had for a long time.” 

Canobolas Local Area Command Inspector Linda Bradbury said motorists needed to consider fog or wet sections of the road.

“If it’s foggy, drive with headlights so people can see you,” she said.