Truck rollovers can be devastating to those involved. Not only that, damage to property or roads may lead to closure of roads for hours at a time.
Unfortunately, there is seldom a week that photos of a rollover are not shared in the media.
MasterDrive managing director Eugene Herbert said with the right conditions, a truck rollover happens easily
“Trucks are prone to these kinds of crashes as drivers have to contend with both a high centre of gravity and centrifugal forces that cause the truck to ‘lean’ in a curve or turn. A number of scenarios have high risk of rollovers. Four of these are particularly risky for truck drivers, yet with the right training they can be prepared for what to expect and how to avoid this dangerous and costly position,” said Herbert.
Scenario 1: Speed and cornering
Speed is estimated to be the cause of up to 45% of crashes in corners and on highway on-ramps and off-ramps. When negotiating a corner, drivers need to use height, load, and angle or configuration of the corner to decide what speed is required to safely navigate the corner.
Scenario 2: Incorrect loading
The high centre of gravity requires the load to be secured. “If the load shifts during cornering, the loss of balance increases rollover risk. Tankers can also be at increased risk when partially full, as the sloshing of liquid can upset the balance, particularly when cornering,” said Herbert.
Scenario 3: Abrupt movement or oversteering
Abrupt or sharp steering movements are risky. The high centre of gravity will cause a truck to roll over if the driver abruptly steers around an obstacle. Drivers should also be cautious of oversteering in certain situations, such as when traction decreases.
Scenario 4: Driver error
A study by the international organization Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration suggests 78% of tanker rollovers are due to driver error.
“This can be speeding in bad weather conditions, distracted driving, driving while on medication or fatigued and various other dangerous driving habits,” said Herbert.
The difficulty with rollovers is that once the truck starts to tip, there is nothing you can do to stop it.
-daily sun
