Witnesses said the two vehicles collided near the railway bridge on the eastbound carriageway of the A194 South Tyneside, around 11am yesterday.
The accident caused one of three excavators being transported, to spin around, before crashing into the central supporting brick wall of the bridge and then topple onto the Vauxhall car behind.
Firefighters spent more than an hour cutting the thirty year old, female free, before she was airlifted to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, with serious head and facial injuries.
Her condition was described as “critical but stable” by police last night.
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