Wife takes the wheel as husband collapses
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West Midlands police have praised the courage of a woman who regained control of a 38tonne artic after her husband collapsed at the wheel.
Richard Beck, a 30-year-old driver from Blackburn, was travelling along the M6 near the M42 turn-off early last Saturday morning with his wife Donna and their three children when he complained of a pain in his head.
He collapsed seconds latee but his wife took the wheel and, with the help of one of the children, managed to bring the Scania M3 safely to rest on the hard shoulder.
The manoeuvre was all the more perilous as prior to Beck's collapse the truck had pulled out into the middle lane to overtake another vehicle. After it had come to a haft at the side of the motorway, Mrs Beck flagged down a passing motorist who contacted the emergency services.
Beck was later pronounced dead at Birmingham's Harthill hospital.
Beck, who had been working for a haulier in County Monaghan, Ireland since December, had been bound for Leicester.
Police and relatives are k awaiting the results of a post-mortem.