ERVING — A man driving a Ford transit van West on Route 2A near 71 State Road collided with a UPS truck parked on the side of the road Monday afternoon and was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center after he told police solar glare rendered him unable to see the truck.
Erving police and firefighters blocked off the Westbound lane of State Road in the town’s Farley section at approximately 2:10 p.m. Monday, as the UPS driver, who had left the truck to deliver a package, spoke to the police.
Orange ambulances transported the Ford van driver, the vehicle’s sole occupant, to the hospital to be treated for “apparent minor injuries,” Sgt. Adam Paicos said.
“The sun low on its horizon this time of year, solar glare is just something to be extra careful about,” Paicos said. “The UPS truck was parked delivering packages
and the solar glare was a contributing factor to his vehicle colliding with the rear end of
the UPS truck.”
Erving firefighters spread sand underneath the damaged van, to prevent fluid leaking from the vehicle. Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Betters asked members of the community to be careful on the road and pay attention. He said he believed the van driver was travelling at a speed consistent with the flow of traffic.
The UPS employee declined to comment on the crash.
“We’ve had a few of these, not in the last handful of years, but it’s happened,” Betters said.