The wife of the truck driver whose trailer overturned in Marsa on Monday got caught up in the resulting traffic gridlock.

“My husband's accident could have been so much worse.  But thankfully, he’s fine,” Louise Barbara said yesterday, as her husband remained under observation at Mater Dei Hospital.

Mr Barbara, 44, was driving the Express Group trailer on Aldo Moro Road, Marsa, when it overturned at around 3 p.m.

The cause of the accident was still unknown yesterday but it led to widespread traffic jams across the island for several hours, as the busy road was closed to traffic while a crane attempted to remove the trailer and its fully loaded container.

“I actually got caught in the traffic too, on my way back from a funeral. I had no idea what was causing it and just felt frustrated. It annoyed me, so I can understand people being irritated by it,” Mrs Barbara said.

She added: “My husband has been driving trucks for decades, so he’s mortified by what happened. Not to mention, he’s racked with worry about the truck cabin. It was basically his second home.”

Congestion caused by the accident stretched all the way to Mater Dei Hospital in Tal-Qroqq, Pietà seafront, Portes de Bombes, Blata l-Bajda, Qormi and Żebbuġ.

The chaos was reminiscent of an incident in April 2010 when Aldo Moro Road was closed after the arm of an excavator crashed into a footbridge.

Traffic jams caused by that incident were so severe that several students missed exams and holidaymakers missed flights.

Traffic expert Joe Micallef Stafrace said although it was always necessary to close sections of road when serious accidents occurred, Monday’s accident showed the police had to be better prepared to set up diversions.

“Officers need to be sent to strategic points immediately to divert traffic away from the accident site.

“News of the accident and diversions should also be clearly and repeatedly communicated to the media,” Dr Micallef Stafrace said.