INDUSTRY NEWS
DRIVER ERROR
NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE
FOR TRUCK ROLLOVERS
While it is true that human error is one of the main causes of truck rollovers , environmental and road factors can also pose a great risk . With the expense of a rollover soaring into the millions , fleet managers cannot overlook all potential high-risk rollover scenarios and provide drivers with skills to handle dangerous situations on the road .
The number of truck crashes is lower than passenger vehicles but garner more notoriety because of the level of tragedy and destruction that results . The CEO of MasterDrive , Eugene Herbert , says : “ When passenger vehicles are involved , consequences can be significantly more devastating due to size difference . Even if the crash involves another truck , loss of life is still common .
“ Additionally , a truck rollover often results in loss of cargo , repairs or replacement to the rigs with expenses in the millions , time off for injured drivers placing extra pressure on other employees , clean-up following the crash and numerous other expenses that far surpass expenses associated with passenger vehicle crashes .”
Considering these serious consequences , no fleet can afford to neglect any scenario that places drivers , vehicles and cargo at risk :
1 . ROAD CONDITIONS According to statistics in the USA , three quarters of truck rollovers occur on rural roads . In the study , rural roads are those without centre barriers . In South Africa rural roads have additional challenges for drivers such as potholes , pedestrians and animals on the roadside as well as ineffective road markings and traffic lights often not working . While trucks tend to stick to highways , rural roads can be unavoidable for the final stages of a journey .
Rollovers are more likely due to the difficulty to regain control once hitting or trying to avoid an obstacle like a pothole . As a result of the truck ’ s high centre of gravity , the sudden or over correction of the vehicle is what increases the risk of a rollover .
2 . SLOPING ROADS A research study by the USA ’ s Transportation Research Board says a rollover is nine times as likely to occur even on a minor slope . Should a driver need to move off the road and encounter a slope , the severity of any resulting crashes is double .
Drivers need to be able to assess the obstacle before them and understand it likely takes much less for a rollover to occur than what they may expect . Even the most experienced drivers need to exert extreme caution when judging the risk of driving over a slope .
3 . WEATHER According to the US ’ s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration , almost 27 % of truck crashes occur during adverse weather conditions ( it was not stated what percentage is rollovers ). USA does , however , experience more adverse weather conditions than South Africa .
The best way to avoid this danger is to adjust driving to conditions . Yet , extra precautions can provide further protection from this high-risk driving scenario . These include never skipping a pre-trip inspection ( particularly of tyres ), regular brake checks and securing loads correctly .
Rollovers can result from more than just driver error and it is the responsibility of the organisation to ensure drivers can handle whatever challenge is thrown their way . www . abrbuzz . co . za 35 JANUARY • FEBRUARY • MARCH 2025