The lorry was hit by a strong gust of wind and rolled onto its side before crossing the metal barrier and ploughing into an oncoming car
Liverpool lorry driver Bogdan Popa died in a crash in Scotland during a storm. (Image: DailyRecord WS)
The family of a Liverpool dad killed when the lorry he was driving crashed during a storm have launched a legal case against his former employer. Bogdan Popa, 32, was making his usual route from Skelmersdale to Motherwell, Scotland, during storm Malik in 2022 when his lorry overturned in high winds on the motorway.
The dad-of-one had slowed to between 50 to 55 miles an hour due to high winds before losing control of the HGV in a strong cross wind. The curtain-sided lorry was hit by a strong gust near Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire, and rolled onto its side before crossing the metal barrier and ploughing into an oncoming car.
A post-mortem carried out at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow found that Mr Popa died of an unsurvivable head injury. Mr Popa is survived by his son, 12 at the time of the accident, and his wife, Lacramiorara.
The family moved to Liverpool from Romania in December 2019, and had lived in the city for just over two years before Mr Popa’s death in January 2022. The family has now brought legal action against haulage firm XDP.
On December 18 2025, the Court of Session in Scotland heard that the Met Office had issued a yellow weather warning for strong winds on the day of the accident, with strong westerly winds crossing Scotland during Mr Popa’s early-morning journey. It was predicted that winds would ease by the afternoon.
Mr Popa reported for work at the Skelmersdale depot in the early hours of January 29 2022. The court heard that the trailer was “lightly loaded and liable to be affected by high winds”. Mr Popa’s family, including his wife, son, and parents, alleged that XDP failed to take reasonable care for the safety of their employees, including Mr Popa.
It is alleged that there was no transport manager on site when Mr Popa left the Skelmersdale depot, around 4am, and that the weather warning was not communicated to him. It is also alleged that a suitable risk assessment was not carried out, and that Mr Popa was not told that he would be supported if he did not travel due to adverse weather.
The family allege that fellow XDP employee James Foreman, who was driving north to the Dundee hub on the M74 on Saturday 29 September 2022 and was so concerned about the effect of the wind that he aborted his journey to Dundee, was required by XDP to resume his journey on Monday, October 1, losing his day off.
XDP plead a case of contributory negligence against Mr Popa, saying that he was an experienced HGV driver who had completed a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence in the week of the accident. The firm adds that Mr Popa could have stopped or slowed his speed before the accident, and that he did not significantly reduce his speed to compensate for the side-winds, saying that the accident would likely have been avoided had he slowed to 30mph.
They added that he was an experienced HGV driver, having driven in continental Europe before he moved to the UK in 2019, and was aware of the weather conditions.
A spokesperson for XDP said: “Our thoughts are with Bogdan’s family and their tragic loss; Bogdan is missed dearly by all at XDP.”
The case was brought before the Court of Session to decide on the law the case would be decided by: English or Scottish. Judge Lord Uist found that English law would apply to the issues of liability and damages.