Rollovers - SAFETY ABOVE ALL

Rollovers: The deadliest crashes

• Tractor-trailers are harder to handle, have a high center of gravity, frequently have unstable loads and require longer braking distances

• Rollovers are the most severe and deadliest crashes that occur

• One of the most effective ways to reduce injuries and fatalities is to obey the law and wear a seat belt

Top 3 factors

The FMCSA's Large Truck Crash Causation Study revealed three major rollover crash contributors:

SPEED	ATTENTION	STEERING
Driving too fast for:	Failure to pay attention:	Failure to steer properly:
Curves Load being carried Condition of brakes Road surface Intersection conditions	Simply being attentive Dozing or falling asleep Distractions (talking to a passenger, using cell phones and/or CBs, tuning the radio)	Over-steering Not steering enough to stay in lane Overcorrecting to the point of counter-steering

1. Curves

To help prevent speed-related rollovers on curves, consider:

• Curve advisory speeds may not be slow enough

• Entering curves too fast may not allow time to slow down

• Side wheels may drop or sink down into a shoulder, increasing the chance of a rollover

• During a rollover, the trailer usually begins to roll before the tractor

• Curve warning sign speed limits are intended for passenger vehicles - not large trucks

  
  

2. Attention

To remain attentive to driving, avoid:

• External distractions:

  • billboards

  • buildings

  • people

• Using wireless communication devices

• Reading and/or writing

• Eating and drinking

• Operators who text while driving are 23x more likely to be involved in an accident

3. Steering

To prevent steering-related rollovers:

• Slow down to a safe speed before entering a curve

• Never exceed the posted speed limit for the curve

• Be in a gear that allows for slight acceleration in a curve

• Braking in a curve can lock wheels and cause skidding

• Ramps/interchanges make up less than 5% of highway miles, yet 20-30% of large-truck crashes occur on them