World's Longest Truck in Australia

According to Mr. Wikipedia, on February 18, 2006, an Australian built Mack truck with 112 semi-trailers, 1,300 tonnes (2,865,980 pounds) and 1,474.3 meters (4,836 ft 11 in) long, pulled the load 100 meters (328 feet) to recapture the record for the longest road train (multiple loaded trailers) ever pulled with a single prime mover.

It was on the main road of Clifton, Queensland, that 70-year-old John Atkinson claimed a new record, pulled by a tri-drive.

Dear Malaysia, are you interested to break this record? Come on, Malaysia Boleh! Before that, please check other long trucks around the world.

Bizarre Truck-Snake Fatal Accident

Near Seremban, a southern city of Kuala Lumpur, a 66-year-old man was killed in a bizarre accident along the North-South Expressway near the Rasah exit after a python landed onto the windscreen of a trailer. The driver of the trailer then braked in shock and swerved onto the road divider along the expressway before crashing into the guardrail during the 4.15am incident.

A car travelling behind the trailer then collided into the vehicle, killing one of the passengers inside, known only as Subramaniam. The victim, who was travelling with three others, died on the spot.

The others in the car escaped with light injuries and were sent to Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital here for treatment. The python was also killed in the accident. Huh?

Source: The Star Online

Multiple Articulated Vehicles - Are They Safe?

Before we venture into the safety of multiple articulated vehicles or super-long goods vehicles, it is important that we understand the term of road train and its concept. As found in wikipedia, A road train is a trucking concept used vastly in remote areas of Argentina, Australia, Mexico, the United States and Canada to move bulky loads efficiently. The term "road train" is most often used in Australia. In the U.S. and Canada the terms "triples," "Turnpike doubles" and "Rocky Mountain doubles" are commonly used for longer combination vehicles (LCV). A road train consists of a relatively conventional tractor unit, but instead of pulling one trailer or semi-trailer, the road train pulls two or more of them. These should not be confused with land trains, which are relatively lightweight vehicles used for moving passengers.

So we back to the question whether is it safe or not? Wait a second, safe to whom? The truck operators or other road users? I believe many people only concerns of their lives and majority of this kind is in fact not the truck operators! Such a pity clarification but well...Thus, let's focus on the safety of road train to other road users who are your family, your friends, your neighbors, yourself and me. It is a very long vehicle and as such, it is very dangerous to overtake. However, road train is only be used in rural areas i.e. less likely found too often on the road. As long as we don't overtake it, our lives will be spared. Not believing me? Try overtake it! Below are some example of the road train photos from compilation work done by cars world blog. Take a look and beware of the road train.

Source: One CRU

Underrun Don't Work - Speed Do Kill!

1. Frequently there will be a sticker at trailer bumper stickers that reads "If you can read this, you're too close." Unfortunately, once the guy in the Corvette got "to close," it was "too late."

2. I am still trying to figure out how this happened along the shoulder of the road. Couldn't he find himself a better spot to park his car? I have seen some bad parking jobs before, but never this bad. Let's just hope that the driver was able to escape this mess in one piece, because his car clearly didn't.

3. Is it the fault of underrun that not working? Underrun is designed to stop or lessen the severity of the crash for only some speed (usually max at 60kmh). But this event speed is truly beyond the designated speed.

Source: Total Sport

Truckers Says Texting while Driving is Safe

1. Texting while halting is safe. Not while driving. Everything is dangerous while driving, even seducing your spouse. Especially truckers, in many cases, they are not the ones who died horribly in the occurace of road traffic accident. For example, in the head-on collision event between truck and car, most casualties are coming from the smaller vehicle.

2. Texting while driving? I just hate that regardless you are truckers or regular drivers. Period.

Research shows that a driver can be as much as 23 times more likely to get into an accident if he or she is texting while driving. New legislation in Washington aims to ban texting while driving by forcing states to adopt the federal mandate or risk losing federal highway greenbacks. One group is fighting the legislation, and it's not teen drivers or multimedia addicts, it's our nation's truck drivers. Truckers, the guys who drive around in 18 wheelers which take 2-3 times as much road to stop when compared to the typical car, often have touch screen computers on the dashboard and keyboards on their laps. They use the multimedia tech to map routes and converse with dispatch, saving minutes (and money) in the hyper-competitive shipping business.

Drivers told The New York Times that they're all but forced to communicate with such computers, as pulling off the road to send a message can cost their companies $1.50 per minute, and the driver risks having his or her pay docked. Clayton Boyce, spokesman for the American Trucking Associations, called the bill "overkill," going so far as to say that banning such devices "won't improve safety." But safety advocates counter that the measure would effectively be underkill, and they have some stats to back up their argument: Heavy trucking deaths in the U.S. have steadily climbed over the past decade, as big rigs now account for 12% of all highway fatalities (4,808 deaths in 2007) versus 11% (4,777) in 1997 – in spite of the fact that passenger cars and trucks are now far safer than they have ever been.

Americans like low prices, and fast, efficient shipping helps keep costs in check. And at the same time, we like to be safe and sound as well, and truckers looking down at a keyboard while driving a 40-ton truck 60 mph just a few feet from strikes us as hazardous to our nation's health. Should truckers be able to text and use computers while driving? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section after the jump.

Source: Autoblog

CEO Air Fadhilat, Suhaimi Ghazali and 5 Family Members Died in Fiery Road Accident

1. Just after a few days of a fatal accident at Bukit Tagar, another road crash involving a truck parked at the emergency lane occurred. This time, it involved more casualties where six family members were burned to death. The crash configuration and profile for both cases sharing similar similarity where the car hit the parked lorry at the lateral side.

2. So how long should we wait? Until 10 died? Until 20 died? Or until the number beat the past record of 23 died? Nauzubillah. It is early to say, but based on the photos, the accident might be caused by fatigue..initially. However, the stalled lorry should not be there. It was a hazard! Especially during the night time.

3. The road must be forgiving. Human do mistake. Human should not be blamed twice. Anyway, my condolences to the family. Innalillah.

SEREMBAN: The proprietor of a herbs outlet and his family perished in a fiery crash after their car skidded and rammed into a stalled lorry at Km252 of the North-South Expressway near Senawang. Suhaimi Ghazali, 41, his wife Nor Fadhillah Isenin, 31, and their children Nor Natashahuda, 11, Mohd Daniel, 10, Mohd Hanif Iman, six, and two-year-old Adi Putra (pic) were returning home to Teluk Mas in Malacca after spending the weekend at Bukit Merah Lake Resort in Perak when the mishap happened at 1.30am.

Their remains were charred beyond recognition following two explosions after the crash. The family was travelling in a BMW 5-series which Suhaimi bought a month ago. His uncle, Norwawi Johari, 60, said at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital mortuary that he last met his nephew while playing golf on Friday.

“He said he was taking the family for a holiday the next day and would visit our stockists in Ipoh. He decided to drive back on Sunday night as his older children had to go to school today (yesterday),” he said.

Norwawi said, according to police, the car might have skidded before crashing into the undercarriage of the lorry which was parked along the southbound emergency lane. The lorry, laden with granite powder, had been parked there since Sunday evening.

It could not be immediately established why it was not towed away by PLUS, the concessionaire of the expressway. Also present at the mortuary were Suhaimi’s father Ghazali Johari, 66, mother Rokiah Idrus, 63, and in-laws Isenin Salleh, 70, and Aminah Abdullah, 64.

Thirty-five employees of Fadhilat Herbs Sdn Bhd came from Malacca at about noon to pay their respects. Nor Fadhillah was the company’s administration and financial manager. Norwawi, who is the company adviser, said police had to rely on the chassis number of the vehicle to trace Suhaimi’s next-of-kin.

“There was nothing left of the vehicle. The police only contacted me at 11.30am to tell me the news.”

Norwawi said things had been getting better for self-made entrepreneur Suhaimi since he set up the business over a year-and-a-half ago. He said Suhami had also visited an orphanage in Ipoh over the weekend to make a donation. State traffic police chief Asst Supt Halil Hamzah said the impact of the accident caused the car’s engine to be ripped off and thrown into a ditch about 30m away.

The victims were buried at the Bukit Pegoh Muslim cemetery. Among those present to join in the prayers included Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

News and Images Resources: The Star Online and Harian Metro Online respectively

Datuk Hazam JSJK Died in Road Accident

1. From the pictures shown by Ondscene (pictures below), I think the main cause of the accident could be speeding. Then, for some reason the car lost control and spun (could be because of wet road surface, however this fact must be further verified).

2. During the car's spinning, the deceased victim could be thrown out onto the road and that could be the cause of his death (if seated at the back). If seated at the front, he could be trapped by the crumpled zone of the car (see photo 1). In the meantime, the car hit the trailer on lateral side but not underride. The driver of the car was severely injured by the impact (because of deformation on front car area - left side is more severe).

3. This is only my rough idea on how the accident occurred. Could be wrong though. Further information are needed for perfect reconstruction of the crash.

4. I have seen many severe crashes happened due to collision with trailers parked on the emergency lane. Authorities and PLUS must take some counter measure to solve the problem or else.....more casualties will happen in the future. Anyway, takziah to the family. Innalillah.

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department principal assistant director (Investigation II) Datuk Mohd Hazam Abdul Halim, died in a road accident at KM 419.7 of the North-South Expressway near Bukit Tagar Interchange at 12.45am yesterday.

Mohd Hazam, 50, was in a chauffeur-driven Bukit Aman Proton Perdana V6 travelling on from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur when the vehicle hit the back of a stalled lorry parked at the emergency lane.

Mohd Hazam died on the spot and his body was taken to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital, while the lans corporal driving the vehicle was seriously injured and warded at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

He had earlier attended a Commercial Crime Investigation Department conference in Ipoh. Mohd Hazam body will be taken to his home in Taman Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban and buried at nearby Muslim cemetery there after dzuhur prayers. He is survived by wife Datin Siti Norziah Abdullah, 41 and six children.

News Resource: NST Online
Pictures Resource: Ondscene Blogspot

Naza Suria Crashed by a Reversed Lorry

1. A lorry laden with bricks went into reverse gear crashing into a car driven by a couple in Seremban, Malaysia. Fortunately, only the female passenger in the car suffered minor injuries and the other escaped with no injury at all.

2. Recently trucks and trailers are just fearsome, killing so many people on the road already. Let's go to the basic by learning ABC which stands for ALWAYS BE CAREFUL.




Resource: Local Newspaper

Kenari Vs. Trailer 5 Death - Fatigue Killed People!

Resource: Perodua Singapore

1. Above is the photo of normal Perodua Kenari that you can easily find on Malaysian road. However, during the crash with a container trailer last week, the car had "lost" its original-well-being. Five members of a family including a 10-month-old baby boy were killed in the accident.

2. The impact of the crash threw four of the victims out of the car and the baby's body was sadly found in a drain. The Perodua Kenari was dragged for about 80m before coming to a stop at the edge of a hill. Based on words from the witnesses, the trailer rammed into the middle road divider and a lamp post which broke into two before colliding with the car from the opposite lane.

3. Fatigue is the most probable cause of the accident. Based on words from trailer driver assistant, the trailer driver had driven for 48 hours in a row without sleep and rest. As for any braking marks, the investigation team found them on the trailer travelling lane but cannot confirm as yet because they are probably due to brake marks from other vehicles which suddenly stopped after saw the accident. Plus, the widths of the skid marks were not matched with the width tire of the trailer. Below are some more post-crash photos of the unlucky Perodua Kenari.




4. And this is the photo of the trailer which hit the Perodua Kenari.

5. Well, it is not the lorry driver was 100% to be blamed. Instead, we should blame the trailer company because they were not implementing a good safety, health and environment (SHE) procedures for their employees. Look what has happened? It is not impossible that same accident will happen again in the future if the fleet company still do nothing and can easily escape during this kind of incident.

6. In conclusion, fatigue can really kill people. So, please make sure before you drive any vehicles, you are in a good shape, getting enough sleep and eating well. If not, we might kill people without intending to do it. Five persons were not a small number to begin with. So let's drive safe.

Resouce: Local Newspaper

Proton Wira Underride a Trailer!

1. Can you believe this? The crash looks scary but all occupants of the car survived the crash! Great! How is it happened? The car hit the trailer when the trailer was in reverse motion from a steel factory at KM 199 Jalan Kuantan - Pintasan Pelabuhan, Kuantan.

2. Please watch out for the trailers/lorry when you are driving at industrial areas. Remember your loved ones :)

Via

Trailer Driver Saved Using Safety Seatbelt

1. Can you imagine the incident like this? The driver saved due to he was using his seatbelt. Lucky huh? Here is the quote and details of the news:

A lucky truck driver had a miraculous escape when his lorry smashed through crash barriers and was left dangling 100ft over the ground. But Zhian Feng escaped with his life - because he was wearing his seat belt. Terrified Feng watched helplessly as his container plunged onto the street below in Chengdu, China, while his cab hung onto the barrier by just its front bumper.

Witness Lu Wi said: 'We heard an amazing bang and went out to see what was happening. 'We saw a lorry hanging over the bridge, and a man in his 40s struggling to climb out. When he got out the driver said he was lucky he had his seat belt on or he'd have fallen straight out of his open window.'

Local residents reportedly said the accident happened on a narrow stretch of road with a sharp turn which was only suitable for smaller vehicles. They said it was not
the first time lorries had had accidents there - but local road management officials insisted they were not to blame.

2. So what are you waiting for? I think this is the good example to encourage you to wear the safety seatbelt. :)

Resource

Road Traffic Accident Photos at Doha Photos

1. I stumbled upon this news when browsing the internet. A pretty severe road traffic accident that happened about 5-6 months ago at rich city of Doha, Qatar. I don't know the details, the news told me nothing but from the photos, we can see that it was collision between a tanker and a jeep.

2. The accident was probably initially caused by the tanker, if we look from the crash configuration where the tanker on top of the jeep. The tanker lost control, roll over and happened to hit the jeep in a random manner. Well, there are many other reasons can cause such collision. Plus, the accident happened at landmark crossings. But one thing for sure, it is not neccessarily a high speed collision.

Resource

JPJ Agrees for Lorries to Carry Heavier Loads?

JOHOR BARU: Lorries will be allowed to carry heavier loads under new guidelines being drawn up by the Government. Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said a decision on the new load was expected to be made by June and would cover lorry operators nationwide. Heh new guidelines being drawn? Who will do the job? Government? Nobody else except MIROS. so good luck MIROS!

He said the details were still being worked out by the Works Ministry, adding that it had agreed to new weight limits. Solah said the decision was being taken following requests by operators to be allowed to increase their load limit to international standards. Increasing the load means increasing the mass ratio between heavy vehicle and passenger vehicle. Increasing mass ratio means increasing chance of fatality during collision between those vehicles. Increasing fatalities means the reduction fatality vision of Malaysia is just a fatamorgana. Do people really think about this before initiate this kind of new guidelines?

They had pointed out that road conditions in the country had improved and vehicles were also better equipped to carry heavier loads, he told a press conference at the state JPJ office after a dialogue session with lorry operators here. Agree at some point but how come I still found 1960s lorry prime movers on the road?

“They have also told us about how the economic situation has affected their businesses,” he said, adding that lorry operators were hoping to lower their operating costs with the increased weight limit as they would be making fewer trips.

At present, international standards allow lorries to carry a maximum of 12 tonnes per axle, but in Malaysia, the limit is set at between eight and nine tonnes per axle. On a separate matter, Solah said the written test for those learning to drive would be simplified as many prospective drivers had found the test questions confusing. He said that while the content for the test would remain the same, the method of asking and answering the questions would be made simpler.

“Those who are illiterate and slow will also be able to drive soon as we will offer special tests for them from next month,” he said.

Meanwhile, Johor Lorry Operators Association president Leow Hock Tiap said he welcomed the move to increase the load limit for lorries. More work to be done. Huh.
Source: Thestar Online

Don't Park Your Lorry at Emergency Lanes

Few days ago, I read a news about the authority wants to ban the lorry from parking at emergency lanes. It is very interesting movement as lately lots of crash involving lorries which parked at the emergency lanes. The most significant one was a crash at PLUS highway near Rawang. The broken down lorry parked at the emergency lane got rammed by a car. 2 died. Few hours later, 80 metres from the scene, another crash happened. A lorry rammed rear end of the parked lorry and 2 died if I'm not mistaken. See how bad this problem is?

Lorry drivers should not park their vehicles along emergency lanes, even in the event of a breakdown, to prevent getting rammed from behind. Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh’s advice is to find a way to bring the vehicle to the nearest rest stop area. It is sounds really difficult. For example, my lorry broke down and can't move, so how the heck should I bring my lorry to the nearest rest stop area? However, I admit and without doubt think that such behavior (parking lorry at emergency lanes) could be a real hazard to the road users.

He said the department had asked lorry associations to come up with a circular advising lorry drivers against parking along the emergency lanes. Earlier, Suret Singh gave out coffee sachets to road users and crash helmets to motorcyclists at the Sungai Besi toll plaza. Yes, to not allow them to stop the vehicle on the emergency lanes, careful study need to be done. If the lorry can't move during the break down, what kind of alternative can be done? I'm thinking on strenghtening traffic management rules for broken vehicle like putting cones, calling highway rescue or anything related.

Some 10,000 sachets and 50 helmets were distributed to road users. The sachets and helmets were sponsored by CNI Holdings in the “One Million Up Cafe” giveaway campaign in conjunction with the company’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

On the proposal to ban express buses from roads after midnight, Suret Singh said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat would make the announcement in due time. On Saturday, Ong said he was contemplating whether to present the proposal to the Cabinet after seeking feedback from all stakeholders, including government agencies, bus operators and consumer groups.

The ministry wants the ban in a bid to improve road safety following a research by the Road Safety Department and Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS). The research showed a human being would encounter mental and physical fatigue after midnight, even if he had sufficient rest in the day. It's all about human biology clock. You think you can drive midnight after long sleep or rest, but in fact, you still feel sleepy when driving. Why so? Think.

Source: TheStar Online

From Car Allowance to the Road Crash Lesson

1. I was out with my friends today and one of them was working as a contractor. Most of the time he has to travel a lot going from places to places to meet with the clients. His company provides him with a company car and he even has car allowance to allow him to fuel up. So basically he can goes around anywhere for free.

2. I’m just wondering does he have to pay for the cost of repair if he were to involve in an accident since it is the company car. In my opinion, he should be bearing for the cost since he should be taking care of the car. Anyway, he told me that the company vehicles all have flexible and customizable Vehicle Reimbursement programs. So in any should he is involved in an accident where liability claims is needed, the company can get full reimbursement from the car allowance provider to repair the vehicle. Therefore he doesn’t need to pay anything for the repair cost.

3. I suddenly remembered about a story which happening on I-80 going westbound in Central Pennsylvania in September 2003, as told by lecturer during my study abroad. Since my friend has lot of travel, it is good for him to learn something about the risk on the road.

4. The story began when my lecturer was traveling westbound in the fast lane following the semi truck. He was about to pass a newer Buick car when this happened. There were a 76 year old driver and 85 year old passenger in the Buick car. He saw them turn on their left turn signal but they were in the slow lane (right lane). They then suddenly turned at 60 Mph right in front of the semi truck. Until now my lecturer still wondering why the old driver did that sudden swerve.

5. Then, the semi T boned them at 65 Mph. He (my lecturer) had to slam my brakes on and slid into the grassy median and called 911. He managed to take some digital pictures while waiting to speak to the state trooper who was still with the truck driver. Both women were killed and it was an incredibly ugly scened that he walked up to.

6. So lesson of the day, to my friend and all the readers, please be careful on the road, we never know what will happen as everything is just so unpredictable, especially when being around the moving trucks. You know, the collision between heavy vehicle and passenger car is never compatible. The result is usually fatal and really a mess. So be careful.