Safe Driving - Rollover Prevention
The frequency of rollovers involving emergency vehicles is increasing at an alarming rate. It has become such a national concern that the U.S. Fire Administration is preparing to release a comprehensive report addressing the growing problem. Please take a few minutes to review these basic driving principles. This review will help you to be a better driver and possibly prevent an unspeakable tragedy.
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
Ambulancesprone to rollover Predominate scenarios
- Too much speed when entering a turn or 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 the paved surface.
The best way to address any problem is to understand why it occurs. Some common factors that contribute to emergency vehicle rollovers are...
Size
The vehicle takes up most of the normal lane width, leaving little room for navigational changes within the lanes of travel - particularly on secondary and rural roads.
High Center of Gravity
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.
Speed
Driving too fast!!!
Driving too fast!!!
Driving too fast!!!
Safe Driving Pointers
VFIS believes the following pointers will increase your emergency vehicle driving ability to maintain control of your vehicle should you run off the road surface.
Things to do
- Take your foot off the accelerator and allow the vehicle to slow down gradually
- Do not apply full braking! Use soft applications 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 safespeed, gently steer the vehicle back onto the road surface using a lower gear to assist in overcoming the surface drop off or soft shoulder.
Things not to do
- Do no 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 drop off.
Don't make the news!
Use caution on each and every call you go on!!