New truck safety initiative pushes driver training

Some 19 people have been killed and 33 injured in accidents involving trucks since May. These figures – gathered by FTW – are based on reported accidents across the country and do not allow for accidents that did not make news headlines. According to a study by Abela Driver Safety Management, 65% of all company vehicle drivers are involved in at least one accident a year. In 2006 a report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration showed that there were roughly 141 000 truck crashes every year, and 77 000 of these were the direct fault of the truck driver. According to heavy Commercial Vehicles Underwriting Managers, the need for truck driver training is now more necessary than ever. In KwaZulu-Natal three men died when their truck overturned on the Durbanbound N3 on May 15, while seven people were injured when a bus, taxi and truck collided on May 14 on the Crown Interchange in Johannesburg. Three people died when their vehicle was struck by a truck on the N3 near Heidelberg in Gauteng and in the Eastern Cape earlier this month three others died after a collision between a truck and an ambulance. According to Abela, at least 95% of road accidents can be avoided if the driver of a vehicle is equipped with the necessary skills to react appropriately. HCV MD Chris Barry believes that complying with certain legal requirements such as roadworthy certificates and valid drivers’ licences is merely a foundation to adequately prepare drivers for safe passage on the road. “In-cab driver training is essential as it is aimed at equipping drivers to react appropriately to hazardous situations.”