SAFETY ZONE WITH SAM STOSE
Greetings fellow Oklahoma Motor Carrier Magazine readers. In this volume, I would like to talk about keeping the load on the road. Believe it or not, rollovers happen most often on straight roadways. You must maintain focus on all types of roads, not just on the on and off ramps. There are four rollover risk factors: Vehicle design, load effects, highway factors, and driver factors. Vehicle design of cargo tanks – high center of gravity makes them less stable. Make your movements slowly. When you speed up, you’re subject to mess up. Load effects – a fluid load will always shift. The most important thing to do to manage your load is to manage your speed. Highway factors – Sharp curves, steep grades, soft shoulders, hard berms, mounds & curbs, narrow driveways and limited visibility areas must be accounted and prepared for. Survey routes to destinations beforehand. Drop your speed 10 mph below warning signs (they are for 4-wheelers in ideal road conditions). Driver factors – Complete a thorough pre-trip inspection and get to know your vehicle especially if it is not your usual setup. Stay away from unsafe behaviors like excessive speed for the conditions, cell phone use, driver complacency, driver fatigue and driving under the influence. Also, stay away from unsafe behaviors like eating in the cab and daydreaming. The Oklahoma Safety Management Council is committed to highway safety and dedicated to the transportation industry. To learn more about the OSMC, visit http://oksafetymanagementcouncil.com. Thanks for reading and thank you to Ryder Fleet Products for providing the subject matter in this volume. Remember, one safe mile at a time. Oklahoma Motor Carrier Magazine | 2Q
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