An overturned lorry caused three miles of tailbacks on the Dundee to Aberdeen A90 road during rush hour on Wednesday morning.
The lorry overturned and crashed through the safety barrier, colliding with a van heading in the opposite direction, at around 8.10am.
The delivery vehicle was spread across both lanes of the northbound carriageway and one lane of the southbound road of the dual carriageway, causing traffic chaos.
It is understood the rear of the lorry collided with the front of a Renault van, sending it flying into a ditch.
The collision happened on a stretch of the road near the Brechin turn-off, known locally as St Ann’s corner.
The 51-year-old driver of the lorry had to be cut free from his vehicle by firefighters and was treated for an arm injury at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Van driver Radim Kismy (30), from Dundee, had been on his way to Aberdeen for a job with his ceramic tiling firm when the drama unfolded.
He said: ”I can’t remember anything, it happened so fast. I was checked over by the ambulance staff but I’m okay. The van went into the ditch and instinct took over to get away from it and I got out through the window.”
The road was closed for several hours while police crash scene investigators were in attendance.
Police diversions, which were put in place at Forfar, remained in place until the late afternoon.