On the dark side

We talk to Caroline Spillane of the National safety Council and Supt. Tom Murphy of the Garda National Traffic Bureau bout their concerns regarding a few rouge hauliers.

The carnage continued unabated on the nation's roads in April. Worryingly the road haulage industry's role in the ongoing tragedy is becoming more apparent, writes John Loughran.

There is only going to be one loser when a heavy goods vehicle is involved in a collision with another vehicle - the driver of the other vehicle. It is an indisputable fact that a HGV is a potential killing machine. There is no contest between a 40 tonne truck and the average family saloon at the point of impact. There is only going to be one outcome.

In April HGV’s were involved in a number of road fatalities. In Co. Louth a 39-year-old man lost his life when the car he was driving collided with an articulated lorry on the outskirts on Drogheda. The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in the town. The driver of the truck was uninjured in the crash.

There was a similar tale of woe in Co Tipperary when a car driven by a 67-year old male careered into the path of an
oncoming articulated lorry on the main Limerick to Dublin Road at Goosing, Castle Connell. The driver of the car died at the scene. The driver of the truck was treated for his injuries at Limerick Hospital.

It is not the purpose of this article to apportion blame in these instances, or to cast aspersions on the drivers in question, rather to make the point that truckers need to be vigilant and aware of their road safety responsibilities every time they step into their truck.

It is generally accepted that truckers are amongst the safest drivers on the road, but it doesn't take away from the fact, that a small percentage flout the law. Certain responsibilities come with the "tag" of "professional driver". While most truckers live up to these responsibilities, others bring shame on their industry.
Tampering with speed limiters, breaking the speed limit, over loading, using a mobile phone while driving and exceeding driving hours are still common practices in the haulage industry. These practices don't fit well with a "professional driver" Caroline Spillane of the National Safety Council acknowledges that truckers have a very good reputation on the road, and that the vast majority are a credit to the profession.

However, she admits that the NSC is particularly concerned about truckers who speed and use mobile phones while driving. "The National Roads Authority conducted a survey on speed with particular reference to HGV’s and found that many of them were exceeding the speed limit on urban and rural roads. That is of concern to us. The stopping distance for a HGV would be considerably greater than a car in the event of a potential collision."

She continued: "There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that HGV drivers use their mobile phones while driving. We have welcomed the legislation to ban the use of mobile phones while driving and we would urge all drivers to comply with the legislation."

While acknowledging that hauliers operate in the commercial world of deadlines and decreasing margins, Caroline pointed out that employers also have a road safety responsibility.
She commented: "If there is pressure to maintain communication between the driver and base, a hands-free kit should be installed to ensure the driver isn't put in a position where he has to take or make calls on a hand-held mobile while in transit.

It is up to the employer to make to sure the vehicle is adequately equipped."
She added that employers should not pressurise drivers to make or take calls while working. She contended: “We would arguthat there is no call so necessary, that it has to be made or received whilst driving a truck. When you are driving something as enormous and as potentially lethal as a truck there can be no room for distractions."
Caroline also pleaded with employers not "to put undue pressure on drivers to meet deadlines that are unrealistic."

She added:
"It is also down to the driver. It is always down to individual responsibility. Truck drivers live in the commercial world and are under pressure to meet deadlines, but systems must be put in place where they are not under undue pressure." Supt Tom Murphy of the Garda National Traffic Bureau is also concerned about speeding and the illegal practice of tampering with speed limiters.

The Garda chief confirmed that a significant minority of truckers tamper with their speed limiters. "We find the vast
majority of licensed hauliers comply with the rules of the road in relation to speeding. However, there is an element that consistently break the law," he said.

According to Supt Murphy, the miscreants are to be found in the unlicensed haulage sector. "We find they are bordering on the fringes of legality. Many of them would be owner drivers or small operators with one or two trucks."
He continued: "We are very proactive in this area. We are stopping these people on a regular basis and prosecuting them with dangerous driving. On conviction they face a six to 12 month ban, a heavy fine and the potential loss of their livelihood."

Supt Murphy holds licensed hauliers in high esteem and is impressed with their professionalism on the road. He is calling on this sector to enter into a partnership approach to weed out the persistent offenders. The actions of a few are sullying the good reputation of the entire industry according, to the Garda chief.

The road transport industry can make an important contribution towards road safety by acknowledging its road safety
responsibilities. Each individual must take responsibility for his / her actions and work to make the road a safer place for everybody.

The alternative is just too terrible to contemplate.