Truck Rollover Prevention

Why Rollover Happen?

A truck rollover can happen in seconds. It can cause serious injuries, spills, property damage, or even death. The good news is that most rollover risks can be controlled.

Why Tank Trucks Roll Over

In this video, we’ll explain why rollovers happen and review four actions that can help prevent them: Check. Slow. Smooth. Recover. At Service Sanitation, all of our tank-equipped vehicles have a high center of gravity. This means much of the truck’s weight sits high above the road, making the truck easier to tip. The liquid inside the tank also moves. During a turn, the liquid moves from side to side. This is called slosh. When you brake or accelerate, the liquid moves forward or backward. This is called surge. Partially filled tanks can be especially difficult because the liquid has more room to move. Tank design also affects how the liquid moves. Some tanks have baffles or bulk head compartments that help control the liquid, but they never fully stop all slosh and surge. Never assume a baffled tank cannot experience load movement. The faster or more suddenly you move the truck, the more force that moving liquid creates.

Check Before You Drive

The first rollover-prevention action is Check. Start every day with a complete pre-trip inspection. Pay close attention to the tires, tire pressure, brakes, steering, suspension, tank mounts, valves, covers, hoses, and connections. Know how much liquid you are carrying and how that load may affect your truck. Check the weather and learn what you can about the day’s routes and jobsites.

Remember, your load changes throughout the day. As you service units, the fresh-water tank empties while the waste-water tank fills. This changes the truck’s weight and balance and may affect how it handles. This can change the truck’s weight, balance, stopping distance, and handling. Pay attention to your load levels and expect the truck to handle differently as your route continues.

If you find a problem or believe the truck may be unsafe, report it immediately. Never leave the yard in a vehicle you do not believe is safe. Remember: Check the truck. Check the load. Check the route.

Slow Before Hazards:

The second action is taking things Slow. Speed is one of the biggest rollover risks you can control. Slow down before curves, ramps, intersections, downhill grades, narrow driveways, uneven jobsites, and areas with limited visibility. A posted curve speed may still be too fast for a heavy truck with a high center of gravity. Reduce your speed before entering the curve. Do not wait until you are already turning.

Control your speed before starting down a hill. Check your speedometer instead of relying on how fast the truck feels. Use the proper gear and follow company procedures for downhill braking. Rain, snow, ice, gravel, and loose ground reduce traction and make the truck harder to control. When conditions become worse, slow down and leave more space around your vehicle.

Rollover risks are also present at jobsites. Before entering, look for slopes, ruts, ditches, soft ground, curbs, and sudden changes in elevation. Keep the truck on firm, level ground whenever possible. Avoid driving across a slope where one side of the truck is higher than the other. Even at a low speed, an uneven surface can cause a top-heavy truck to lean or roll.

If a road or jobsite does not look safe, stop and contact Dispatch. Never enter an unsafe area just because a customer or coworker is waiting. Remember: Slow down before the hazard, not during it.

Keep It Smooth:

The third action is keeping things Smooth, especially when braking or turning. Sudden movements often cause the truck’s weight and liquid load to shift. Hard braking can send the liquid forward. Fast acceleration can send it backward. Sharp turns and sudden lane changes will also force the liquid to one side. Any of these actions can upset the truck’s balance.

Brake early and smoothly, and accelerate at a steady pace. Keep five to seven seconds of following distance so you have time to react safely. Change lanes gradually and avoid sudden steering. When turning at an intersection or entering a driveway, reduce your speed and give yourself enough room. Make one smooth, controlled turn without hitting a curb or leaving the pavement.

Do not rush because another driver is waiting behind you. Take the time you need to complete the turn safely. Pay attention to how the truck feels. If you feel yourself or the truck leaning during a turn, you are going too fast. Remember: Smooth steering, braking, and acceleration help keep the truck under control.

Recover Safely:

The fourth action is Recover. Many rollovers happen after a truck leaves the roadway. A soft shoulder can cause the outside wheels to sink. A curb, berm, ditch, or pavement edge can catch the tires and trip the truck onto its side.

If your wheels leave the pavement, stay calm and hold the steering wheel firmly. Do not slam on the brakes or jerk the truck back onto the road. Reduce your speed, regain control, and return to the road only when it is safe. A sudden overcorrection can send the truck across the roadway or cause it to roll.

Remember: Recover slowly. Never panic or overcorrect.

Stay Focused:

Rollovers can happen on curves, ramps, straight roads, rural roads, and jobsites. Stay alert and continue scanning the road ahead. Looking ahead gives you more time to notice stopped traffic, sharp turns, animals, road debris, and other hazards. That extra time can help you avoid sudden braking or steering.

Do not text or use a handheld phone while driving. Never drive when you are too tired to stay alert.If fatigue, weather, road conditions, a vehicle problem, or an unsafe jobsite makes driving unsafe, stop in a safe location and contact Dispatch.

Remember the Four Actions

Remember always Check the truck, the changing load, and the route. Slow down before curves, hills, turns, uneven ground, and other hazards. Keep every movement smooth by avoiding sudden steering, braking, or acceleration. If you leave the roadway, recover without panicking or overcorrecting. Stay focused, wear your seat belt, and remember: Check. Slow. Smooth. Recover.