THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

March 2008

Truck on truck - A head-on collision with an oncoming truck reduced this cab to a death cell. Fatigue, impatient driving and poor visibility are usually the cause of this sort of horror smash.

Entering the 2007 festive season high on the Springbok's Rugby World Cup victory, millions of South Africans hit the country's highways and byways to revel in scenic splendour and make merry with loved ones. Come the New Year, however, there is always the awful toll of road deaths hanging over our national pride like a black cloud. While silverware in the form of the Web Ellis trophy may sit proudly in SARFU's boardroom, there is a lot more metalwork being dragged to the scrap heap, stained with human blood, writes Paul Collings.

It has been this writer's duty for the last four years to analyse truck accident statistics for the December period as supplied by the Road Transport Management Corporation (RTMC). Every year, amid the efforts of road safety campaigns like Arrive Alive and Operation Juggernaut, one hopes that fewer lives will be lost in road accidents and that, like our boys in green and gold, some of the hard work will bear fruit. Alas, the numbers tell a different story...

The usual suspects
In previous years, truck accident statistics provided by the DoT reported perhaps in a bit more detail the causes of truck-related accidents (the culpability factor) and differentiated between the casualties, be they truckers, motorists, passengers or pedestrians. The stats this time round are nonetheless spine-chilling and show clearly the extent of the crisis plaguing our roads. 

Before divulging the body count, let's look at the "contributing factors" (as described by the RTMC stats) behind the slew of truck-related accidents circa December 2007 and offer a few remedial suggestions.
 

Accident investigators attributed 50 of December 2007's truck accidents to "speed too high for circumstances". It can be safely surmised here that drivers are lacking the necessary skill and/or competence to be safely in control of their vehicles. More driver training and closer management observation using Fleet Management technology will obviously help raise the levels of safety on our roads. It has been suggested that because many drivers are incentivised to complete trips in as short a time as possible, speeding becomes part of their driving style, a practice that needs to be outlawed. 
 

The DoT statistics list 28 fatal truck accidents being caused by "unlawful driving" on the part of the truck driver, where road rules were flagrantly disregarded. These include the crossing of barrier lines, disobeying stop streets and traffic lights, as well as misjudging distances of oncoming traffic, either attempting to overtake or turn across a busy oncoming lane. Once again, these factors are caused by poor driver behaviour, which may be the result of inadequate training and lack of supervision, or driver impatience due to time constraints and/or financial incentives from the operator. 
  

An almost unbelievable phenomenon is the number of pedestrians losing their lives to trucks. The stats report that no less than 19 pedestrians were killed by trucks in December 2007! While many were jaywalking, a few were also intoxicated. Both, however, constitute illegal road use and more needs to be done to educate all road users about pedestrian safety, as well as to the rights and obligations of traversing our roads on foot. In this last instance, more needs to be done by law enforcement to stamp out public drunkenness and jaywalking.
 

It is estimated that over the course of a year, more truck drivers are killed as a direct result of fatigue than anything else. December 2007 saw nine fatal truck accidents occur as a direct result of lack of sleep. Once again, the pressures put on drivers to work long shifts are possible causes and despite much talk of laws being implemented to control driver hours, there are too many drivers out there either over-tired or medically unfit. Operators need to implement driver-hour controls with consignors and consignees joining in efforts to ensure all drivers are well rested and medically fit to pilot their rigs.
 

The perennial 'bad apples' of truck safety - faulty brakes and tyres - were responsible for seven fatal truck accidents over the holiday period. Preventative maintenance needs to be improved and law enforcement enhanced to prosecute operators running unroadworthy trucks.
 

Increased traffic congestion, speeding and impatient driving may all have contributed to the fact that five fatal truck accidents in December 2007 were caused by too close a following distance between trucks and other vehicles. While the stats do not specify exactly how many truck drivers failed to maintain safe following distances, the rear-end collisions killed seven people. Motorists, many oblivious to truck-braking specifics, need to be better educated on safe truck-passing distances.
 

Five fatal collisions were as a direct result of poor visibility due to mist, rain and/or fog. Whether it was the trucks involved or other motorists at fault, the phenomenon of 'driving blind' is all too prevalent on our roads and needs to be reduced through better training (defensive driving techniques). Trucks should always have adequate reflective markings and fully functional head and tail lights to ensure high visibility, especially in inclement weather conditions. Once again, night driving should be curtailed if possible and driver fatigue made enemy #1. 
 

The misty hills of KZN see the highest volumes of truck traffic in the country as they travel between Durban to Gauteng along the N3. Poor visibility, speeding and unroadworthy vehicles contribute to rear-end collisions like this one.

With the booze flowing freely over the period, it is surprising that only four fatal truck accidents occurred as a result of intoxication. The stats report two intoxicated driver deaths while two drunken pedestrians were killed by passing trucks. One passenger died as a result of a drunk driver. One can only hope the forthcoming driver's licence demerit system (AARTO) will effectively put an end to drinking and driving. Nothing up to now has helped.
 

If the animals can avoid being struck by trucks, why can't humans? Only one truck accident was caused by a stray animal, resulting in the death of a passenger. The stats also indicate one truck accident caused by 'other'/undetermined causes, killing one driver.

It should also be noted that over 30% of the accidents occurred at night between 22H00 and 06H00, many on road surfaces that are poorly maintained and badly marked/signposted. 

A regional breakdown
With South Africa's traffic law enforcement agencies operating under the governance of provincial and municipal authorities, it is interesting to compare truck accident statistics from the nine provinces. While December heralds a period of heightened road traffic from holidaymakers, trucks in many applications continue to operate around the clock. 

With this in mind, it is interesting to note that Mpumulanga recorded the highest number of truck accidents over the period - a total of 25. The fact that the timber and coal transport industries do not slow supply over the festive season, coupled with growing tourism in the area, may go some way in explaining the high incidence of fatalities. 

Gauteng, while enjoying a 'sleepy hollow' moment over the Christmas/New Year week, remains the business hub of the nation over the period and traffic volumes remain high. The province recorded the second highest truck accident figure at 22. 

Following are the Eastern Cape at 20 truck accidents, Kwa-Zulu Natal at 16 (impressive considering the holiday traffic volumes), Limpopo at 15, Free State at 13, Western Cape at 10, North West at 5 and the Northern Cape at 2.
 

A primary accident is bad enough but such incidents can result in secondary smashes involving other vehicles such as happened in the scene above. It is imperative that drivers slow down when approaching an accident scene if they want to prevent becoming involved themselves. Spare a thought for the emergency personnel on the scene as well. Their lives are also endangered. Thanks to our good friend Philip Hull, director of The Road Safety Foundation, for the photographs.

The grim reality
The fact of the matter is, the death toll in truck-related accidents has risen sharply from 146 fatalities over the December 2006 period to 197 in December 2007! That's 51 people dead in a single month in truck accidents alone! The number of truck accidents also increased, from 114 in December 2006 to 128 in December 2007, with a total of 139 trucks involved. Something is very, very wrong with the way we as a nation drive and share our roads.

Every effort has to be made by operators, suppliers, customers and the government to equip all road users with the skills and equipment necessary to help prevent road accidents, to cultivate a way of life where all citizens embrace road safety as an issue of not only personal, but national survival. 

FleetWatch expresses its sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those lost in the accidents reported.