TUESDAY, JULY 29, 2014
Oklahoma's fire departments and Emergency Medical Services have had significant amounts of roll overs through out the years. Often there are misconceptions on what the circumstances are that create this type of event. Here are some interesting facts and best practices to avoid roll overs
The facts are alarming
• Many rollovers do not involve other vehicles.
• Most are attributed to emergency vehicle driver
error.
• Nearly all emergency vehicle rollover crashes are
clearly preventable.
Vehicles most likely to be involved in a rollover crash include
• Tankers/Pumper Tankers (1,000 gallons or over)
• Ambulances
• Aerial Devices |
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Predominant scenarios include
• Too much speed when entering a turn/curve
(particularly left to right corners)
• Right side tires leave the paved surface and sink into a soft
shoulder
• Right side tires leave the paved surface, and the driver
improperly attempts to bring the vehicle back onto the
paved surface
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The best way to address any problem is to understand why it occurs. Some
common factors that contribute to emergency vehicle rollovers are
- Driving too fast! Driving too fast! Driving too fast!
- The driver doesn’t understand the physical dynamics
involved with operating heavy vehicles with a high center of
gravity.When combined with high speed, these factors can
easily cause excessive body roll, leading to rollover.
- The vehicle takes up most of the normal lane width,
leaving very little room for navigational changes within the
lanes of travel – particularly on secondary and rural roads.
- Lack of emergency vehicle driver training.
- Inadequate – or poorly enforced – management controls
(standard operating procedures/guidelines).
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At minimum the following four steps,
should be taken now. But don’t stop here.
You need to follow up with a
comprehensive program that addresses all
aspects of this critical issue.
1. Constantly reinforce to all emergency
vehicle drivers the need to slow down and
keep both their emotions and the speed of
their vehicle under control.You cannot
help to protect lives and property if you
become a casualty enroute.
At minimum the following four steps,
should be taken now. But don’t stop here.
You need to follow up with a
comprehensive program that addresses all
aspects of this critical issue.
2. Develop emergency vehicle response
guidelines that specifically address rollover
avoidance.
3. Adopt a written emergency vehicle driver training program,
and require all new drivers to successfully complete it before
responding to any emergency calls.
4. Establish a system of ongoing driver training in which all
drivers must periodically participate.. Develop emergency vehicle
response guidelines that specifically address rollover
avoidance. |
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Safe Driving Pointers
VFIS believes the following pointers will increase your
emergency vehicle drivers’ ability to maintain control of their
vehicle should they run off the road surface. These should be
included in your organization’s driver training program.
Things to Do
• Take your foot off of the accelerator and allow the vehicle
to slow down gradually.
• Do not apply full braking! Use soft application of the
brakes, natural decelerations and downshifting to bring the
vehicle to a safe speed or stop.
• Under soft shoulder conditions feather the accelerator to
help maintain control of the vehicle while slowing.
• Once the vehicle has been stopped or been brought down
to a safe speed, gently steer the vehicle back onto the road
surface using a lower gear to assist in overcoming the
surface dropoff or soft shoulder
Things Not to Do
• Do not attempt to steer back onto the road
surface at full speed or under acceleration.
• Do not make any sudden or drastic steering
movements.
• Do not apply full braking.
• Do not attempt to accelerate up and over
the surface dropoff.
Want to learn more about emergency vehicle
rollovers? VFIS recommends that you review
information on the NIOSH website at
www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html.
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