Several accidents have occurred in the past, costing the lives of transit migrants trying to cross the highway to reach car parks to board trucks heading towards the United Kingdom. In 2022 for example, a transit migrant was fatally hit by a vehicle when crossing the highway between Middelkerke and Gistel.

In order to prevent this, smaller measures have been taken in the past, such as fencing the parking spaces and installing security cameras. However, for greater security, a road divider fence is now being installed to prevent transit migrants from crossing the highway. The works started today, Monday 16 October, in Westkerke and are intended to last until the end of October. They will then start in Mannekensvere and be completed at the end of November.

In recent years, the term transmigrant or transit migrant became part of the common vocabulary. In its actual use, a transmigrant refers to a "migrant who is temporarily staying in another country on his way to his country of destination" (Van Dale).

For further information on the fencing work along the E40, please read the following press articles in Dutch :

• Hekken op E40 moeten transmigranten verhinderen om snelweg over te steken (Het Nieuwsblad)
• Lang hekwerk van 1,5 kilometer om transmigranten weg te houden bij snelwegparkings langs E40 (KW) 
• Hek van 1,5 kilometer moet voorkomen dat transmigranten snelweg oversteken aan parkings in Westkerke en Mannekensvere (VRT)