Rollover Prevention
There are many ways in which truck rollover can be prevented; however, altering driver behaviour is key. Educating drivers to the risks of vehicle rollover, and the ways in which they can prevent or limit the chances of it occurring will greatly help in reducing the number of accidents we see each year. As well as this, basic vehicle design, which lowers the centre of gravity, would also help in reducing rollover.
“Just a rollover accident can cost your company in excess of £300k per incident”
“213 rollover incidents involving LGV/HGVs occurred in 2015″
DfT Statistics
“464 LGV/HGVs skidded out of control and involved in accidents in 2015″
DfT Statistics
Points to consider for reducing the chances of truck rollover:
– It is very important to pay attention to the road ahead. Keep a safe distance away from vehicles and ensure you are aware of the environment around you
– Ensure you do not enter a corner at excessive speed
– It is vital the load is secured properly and loaded in the most effective way.
– Before each journey, check all tyres on the vehicle. Make sure the tread is in sufficient condition and check the tyre pressure is correct for the load and conditions
– Ensure the vehicle is always steered in a smooth manner, limiting abrupt and sudden actions as much as possible
– Driver training and effective management.
If using an electronic system that enables the user to download information, it is very important to do so, and analyse when and how often the stability control program was triggered. It is extremely important for drivers to be educated to the dangers surrounding vehicle rollover, outlining the causes and explaining prevention. Increasing awareness will no doubt reduce the number of vehicle rollover accidents, and this guide will hopefully increase the awareness. It should also be noted that electronic programs such as ESP, EBS, ABS, etc., act only as an assistance to the driver. The interaction of these programs suggests that an acceptable driving threshold has been exceeded.
