The thriving tank truck industry is projected to continue growing due to increased production following the Covid-19 pandemic, ongoing technology advancements, and strong economic indicators. While tank truck operation is vital to our economy, operations come with significant safety risks on and off the road.
According to research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are more than 1,300 tanker rollover accidents and 500 large truck rollover accidents each year in the U.S., and over 60% of these tanker rollover accidents result in fatalities. Most of these accidents occur on dry, straight roads, and more than 63% of tanker rollover accidents occur with partial loads.
Accidents among tank trucks can be extremely dangerous because of hazardous materials, such as flammable liquids, gasses, and corrosive chemicals. Crashes can cause these materials to catch on fire, explode, or leak; and can lead to serious injuries or fatalities for truck drivers, passengers, and other motorists.
After many years spent driving, training drivers, and spearheading driver safety programs for leading U.S. carriers, I now serve as a safety expert. Over the decades, I’ve realized how important safety is and understand the risks involved. I also know how important ongoing training and advanced technology is for keeping truck drivers safe on the road.
Cargo-handling risks
As many know, handling cargo can pose just as many risks as driving with it. Without the proper training and strict protocols in place, a simple mistake can unexpectedly lead to a precarious situation, including:
- Spills and leaks, which can contaminate soil and water sources and cause environmental damage
- Overfills
- Explosions
- Equipment failures
- Fall injuries, for workers who may need to climb onto the tank for access during loading or unloading
- Tripping injuries, among workers and drivers who stumble over equipment, such as loading hoses
Here are a few safety tips that drivers should take before loading a tank truck:
- Chock the wheels of the vehicle to prevent any accidental movement
- Put on personal protection as required
- Identify the working area and ensure that unauthorized people are not allowed
- Double-check the cargo is correct and look for any special instructions, as indicated on both the storage and the tanker
- Always maintain at least three points of contact with the tank while climbing—and utilize available fall protection mechanisms
Liquid tanker driving tips
Liquid tankers face several specific risks when it comes to driving patterns, which is why ongoing, frequent driver training and communication is so critical.
When transporting liquid, drivers must be hyper-aware of the physics of certain driving behaviors, like sudden braking, which causes liquid to pick up momentum and quickly surge to the front of the trailer, then to the back again, and so forth. This additional weight can cause imbalances that preclude an accident.
See also: Trimble launches Appian Daily Planner
Likewise, liquid tank drivers must be careful not to take corners too quickly—rapid maneuvers can cause rollovers due to sloshing liquids. These days, many vehicles have baffles installed in the tank that prevent these surges, but it’s still important to plan ahead for maximum safety: Maintain excellent following distance, take ramps and corners slowly, etc.
The drivers who transport liquid materials are very conscientious of these risks and do everything in their power to prevent accidents, but when the stakes are so high, it always pays to remain diligent.
Other on-road safety risks
All truck drivers constantly face several safety risks that are often amplified when hauling hazardous materials:
- Driver fatigue: This is one of the most significant challenges to truck safety. Long hours on the road, plus tight delivery schedules, can lead to drowsy driving and mistakes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has implemented hours-of-service (HOS) regulations to limit the number of hours a truck driver can operate a vehicle, which is an important regulation to remove tired and accident-prone drivers from the highway.
- Distracted driving: The use of mobile phones and other electronic devices by truck drivers while driving is increasingly a problem. While many trucking companies have implemented policies against device use while on the road, hands-free mobile holders still allow drivers to utilize routing/mapping tools, delivery documentation apps, and other digital solutions that make their jobs easier and more efficient.
- Road conditions and weather: Poor road conditions, road construction, and inclement weather can contribute to accidents. Inadequate signage, poorly maintained roadways, and storms (rain, snow, ice, wind) all pose risks, especially for large, heavy vehicles that require more space for stopping and time for turning. Impatient car drivers: We frequently see impatient car drivers try to pass or zip around a truck that is backing up or making a turn—putting everyone in harm’s way. This is also true when loading and unloading, particularly in high-traffic areas like gas stations.
Technology advancing safety standards
Technology can make a big impact when it comes to truck driver safety and communication between drivers and back-office teams, and artificial intelligence (AI) is helping safety teams effectively and efficiently identify unsafe driver behaviors to ensure compliance.
The pandemic has accelerated technology use, with 96% of carriers moving to cloud-based systems, according to a recent report from the FMCSA, which also found that adoption levels for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) technology by both carriers and drivers has increased.
Safety solutions can span a wide range of capabilities, from lane assist and roll stability to collision mitigation and camera systems, as well as telematics and dynamic speed management. Adoption of these safety tools is increasing, and in the world of bulk transport, this is especially true for driver-facing cameras.
Driver-facing cameras should not be viewed as an encroachment on drivers’ privacy, but rather an effective coaching tool that can identify and provide real-time guidance to drivers on their routes, and trigger event recordings to replay and analyze different situations. Fleets can choose preferred camera configurations based on their types, size, and safety goals.
Many drivers I’ve talked to who work with tank trucks note that one of the benefits of using a driver-facing camera is highlighting and rewarding attentive behavior and good decision-making. Recordings can also be used to train drivers on a plethora of scenarios they may encounter on the road, or to call attention to the frequency of unsafe behaviors, such as using a mobile device or driving fatigued.
Through the use of AI, driver-facing cameras also can help identify and alert drivers and back-office staff to signs of fatigue or distracted driving, helping correct behavior before an accident occurs, perhaps by pulling over for a rest break.
The use of technology is an integral part of safety, and the next generation of professional drivers already is accustomed to using advanced safety tech on their personal vehicles—so why wouldn’t they have the same features in their truck?
Safety as a core value
Finally, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: Safety is not only something a fleet should consider a priority, it needs to be one of their cornerstone values as an operation. Priorities change over time, but the value of safety does not.
This mindset starts with a safety-first culture in which all team members believe in the importance of safety and encourage each other to embrace it constantly and consistently as part of everything they do.
Gary Falldin is the senior director of industry solutions at Trimble.