Stability control the key to improving truck safetyFriday 23 Sep 2016
This was the key message delivered by the Australian Trucking Association’s Senior Adviser of Engineering, Chris Loose (photo), at the FIEA Wood Flow Optimisation 2016 Conference on Timber Logistics/Harvesting held in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this week. The Monash University Accident Research Centre has released data showing that mandated use of ESC in heavy vehicles could reduce fatal heavy vehicle crashes by four per cent, and serious injury crashes involving heavy vehicles by seven per cent. “ESC is the foundation technology required before we can progress to Automated Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) – so this is a fundamental step Australia must take. AEBS uses additional sensors to monitor the proximity of other vehicles, and automatically apply emergency braking if a collision is imminent,” Mr Loose said. The Monash University Accident Research Centre estimates AEBS could prevent up to 25 per cent of fatal heavy vehicle crashes, and up to 17 per cent of serious injury crashes. The net result in real terms is that AEBS would save the lives of 67 Australian road users annually if fitted across the whole fleet. ESC systems include both roll control and yaw control systems, and can correct potential oversteer, understeer and roll-over situations. Roll control systems sense the lateral (sideways) acceleration of a vehicle, and reduce the risk of rollover through reducing engine torque and briefly applying selected brakes. Yaw control allows the driver to point the vehicle in the desired direction, with the brakes operating to assist the driver. “ESC is an extremely capable stability control system, but can only be fitted to powered units such as prime movers. Instead of relying on driver response, technology enables the system to be predictive instead of reactive; activating preventive action to an impending incident. Often, the driver may not be aware that the system has activated,” Mr Loose explained. Roll Stability Control (RSC) can be fitted to trailers and also provides significant safety benefits. RSC provides roll control in a similar manner to ESC, but does not include yaw control. While stability control systems will not prevent all rollover crashes, both ESC and RSC allow a driver to maintain control of their vehicle with the aim of avoiding or reducing the impact and likelihood of a rollover. In 2014, VicForests required operators of B-doubles in specific logging coops to have their trailers fitted with rollover stability systems within 12 months and update their vehicles to include electronic braking systems within five years. In the years 2006 to 2009 (averaged), there were 40 rollovers reported per year. Following stability system technology fitted to B-doubles, the rollover incidences were reported as nil. The success of the safety system has turned former opponents into advocates and driven widespread adoption of the technology across the industry http://www.nrspp.org.au/News/Details/157. “Research-backed data and proof-of-evidence case studies have demonstrated ESC will save lives, and is a real, practical measure to enhance safety of the trucking industry and all Australians. While the industry’s safety record has increased substantially, even one accident is too many and mandating ESC is a vital factor if we are to save even more lives in the future,” concluded Mr Loose. | ||
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