Following a serious road traffic collision that resulted in potential life changing injuries to a member of the public and a lucky escape for a contracted haulier driver, a review of the two incidents identified the following.
Key Factors:
- The drivers were used to the vehicle they were operating.
- There were no defects on either vehicle.
- The incidents took place within 2-3 hours of starting their shifts and the drivers were fully rested, not fatigued, or distracted.
- The drivers were not under any undue pressure to complete their loads.
- Both drivers were driving well within the speed limit.
Key Factors: Incident 1
- The weather was very foggy and visibility poor.
- The tipper was trying to cross a dual carriageway in these conditions.
Key Factors: Incident 2
- The HGV driver was relatively inexperienced.
- The driver had moved to the nearside to ensure it did not make wing mirror contact with the other oncoming HGV. In doing so the nearside tyres went on a saft grass verge.
- The driver corrected this but quickly went across the other carriage way and onto the soft grass verge/bank that sloped away causing the tipper to roll over onto its roof.
- The driver was not hurt because they we wearing their seatbelt and had securely stored items within the cab.