driving down hill safely - south australia police · remember the equation in relation to the force...

Issue No. ?? Month 2011

Issue No. 9 October 2014

Page 1

BUSINESS and COMMUNITY EDITION

Editor: Senior Sergeant Paul Warren

(08) 8207 6587 Fax: (08) 8207 6593

Email: DL:SAPOL Road Safety Section

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A lot has been said recently about the dangers of driving in hilly conditions particularly after the tragic crash at the bottom of the South-eastern Freeway in August 2014. Driving downhill will require a set of skills to be learnt with the first of them being that the forces of gravity will increase the speed of your vehicle. This is particularly important when driving a heavy vehicle where the mass of the vehicle will increase the danger. Remember the equation in relation to the force generated by the speed (velocity) of your vehicle. The force (F) generated is equal to the mass (M) of the vehicle times by the velocity (V) squared. (F = MV²). Remember the faster your vehicle is travelling the more force will be involved in the crash if you were to be involved in one. Consider the following points about driving safely in hilly areas.

DRIVING DOWN HILL SAFELY

Scene of Glen Osmond fatal crash

mailto:DL:SAPOL%20Road%20Safety%20Section?subject=Talkin%20Traffic%20Newsletter



This document is the property of South Australia Police and copyright is at all times in the control of the Officer in Charge, Road Safety

Section. If this document or its contents appears likely at any time to become the subject of a subpoena or Freedom of Information action,

the Officer in Charge, Road Safety Section is to be advised immediately. Every effort is made to ensure the information within this circular is

correct at the time of publication or this newsletter. Check with Road Safety Section before using the material to ensure it is still up to date.

Make sure that your brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater, and exhaust systems are in good condition. Ensure that your brake and transmission fluids are filled and have been changed within the interval recommended for your vehicle. Brake fluid, as it ages, takes on moisture and contaminants that lowers its boiling level. Frequent brake use can overheat the fluid and you can lose braking efficiency when it is most needed. Also check the tread on your tyres and ensure that they are properly inflated. Don’t become complacent about your vehicle. When was the last time you checked your vehicle’s drive train, braking and suspension systems? Driving downhill will mean that you don't have to put your foot on the accelerator, but you need to make sure that your foot is on or near the brake pedal at all times. Gravity can do a lot and you can pick up speed as you are going downhill, and you want to make sure that this does not get out of control. As such, you need to always be careful to brake when necessary. Don't go down a hilly road any faster than you can go up it. Don't use your brakes to hold your downhill speed. Down shift to a lower appropriate gear or ratio - the only time you should step on your brake pedal is to slow while you are shifting down to a lower gear. Resist the temptation of zooming down a hill. On steep upgrades, downshift to a lower gear, watch the temperature gauge in your vehicle, and turn off the air-conditioning if it starts to overheat. If you need to cool the engine, find a safe place to pull off the road, park it and keep the car at a fast idle. Do not shut off the engine, and never remove a hot radiator cap. A faster way to cool an engine is to turn on the heater, but usually that option is a bit unpleasant for the driver.

DRIVING DOWN HILL SAFELY cont...







Don't "hug" the centre line. Most hilly roads are narrower than freeways or main highways. Some drivers have a tendency to hug the centre line, but this driving technique is both unwise and irritating to other drivers. If you are hugging the centre line, and another centre-hugging vehicle comes around a curve from the opposite direction, both drivers may overcorrect and create a hazardous situation. Always allow plenty of time for passing vehicles to make it back to their lane. Keep in mind that higher elevations diminish a vehicle's available horsepower, and your car may not perform as well at higher elevations as it does at sea level. Slowing down for any reason, whether it's to view scenery or because of a steep grade, is acceptable road behaviour, as long as you maintain awareness. If traffic behind you is embarrassed, look for a designated pullover or overtaking area and let the traffic pass. If you choose to explore unpaved side roads, follow these three rules. First, check local weather and road conditions that may affect your drive. Second, unpaved surfaces provide significantly less traction, so slow down and take curves on a wider arc than you might attempt on paved roads. Third, let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. If driving in an area less well populated or the roads not used very often, carry extra drinking water, and remember to drink fluids throughout the day. Remember to check weather conditions and if the area is prone to bushfires during the higher temperature days, decide whether you need to travel to that area at all. Be alert to any warnings related to the area.








In the event that weather conditions deteriorate into fog, rain, wind, or hot temperatures, slow down, be more observant, and demonstrate extra road courtesy. If other drivers appear to be in a hurry, let them pass. Consider what equipment you carry in your vehicle – a flashlight, first aid kit, a hand towel, and simple tools. Do you know how to change a flat tyre? If travelling long distances in sparsely populated areas, it is also important to keep the gas tank filled. Another courtesy to remember when in conditions of reduced visibility or at night is to dim your high beams as soon as you see the sweep of an oncoming vehicle's lights. Hampering the other driver's night vision is more dangerous. Take frequent breaks – every two hours and if other drivers available who are experienced, consider swapping drivers. Because navigating hilly roads can be more tiring than flatland driving, consider limiting travel on challenging roads to lesser aggregate totals for the day.

Braking for Heavy Vehicles on Hills Complete loss of brakes when descending hills is one of the ‘nightmare’ experiences truck drivers fear most. In most cases the failure occurs as a result of poor vehicle maintenance or poor driving practices (or a combination of both). Brake loss can be prevented and on the rare occasion when it can’t, safe driving practices can minimise the dangers. One of the most common causes of brake loss on long downgrades is overheating due to failure to select a low enough gear and/or failure to properly use auxiliary brakes. Overheating leads to brake fade in which the brake linings completely lose their grip and no longer slow the vehicle. By following correct driving practices a professional truck driver never allows these conditions to arise. Truck speed down-hill should be controlled by use of the engine, the gears and auxiliary brakes. The brakes should be held in reserve for coping with emergencies, traffic conditions or sharp corners.








Some truck driver trainers believe that if you need to apply the brakes more than twice during a normal descent, you should be in a lower gear. If it is necessary to use the brakes during a descent you should try to brake only when the vehicle is travelling in a straight line. Braking on a bend increases the risk of skidding and should only be resorted to in an emergency. If you must brake on a bend do so as gently as possible. Avoid fanning (repeatedly applying and releasing) the brakes. This technique has been conclusively proven to increase brake temperature. It does not, as some believe, improve brake cooling. In air brake systems particularly, repeated applications also wastes compressed air, reducing the pressure reserve in the tanks which may be needed in an emergency.

Arrestor Beds If you do lose your brakes or consider that you will not be able to stop your truck efficiently—use the ‘arrestor beds’. There is no charge for the use of them and they are designed to pull up your truck by the friction of the gravel. Truck Arrestor Beds are used to provide a safe ’escape route’ for runaway heavy vehicles and comprise a bed of lightweight spherical aggregate placed in a strategic location towards the bottom of a long steep descent. Damage to heavy vehicles using an arrestor bed is minimal, especially in comparison to the damage caused in a crash. The heavy vehicle is safely decelerated and stopped by the drag caused by the vehicle as it sinks into the bed material. Where possible, if the arrestor bed is able to be sloped upwards the force of gravity will assist the safe stopping of the vehicle. Remember: - It is better to be safe in using the arrestor beds than to continue on and be involved in an incident where someone is injured or killed.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION

As our cities get bigger and populations increase, traffic congestion can become part of our motoring life. This is particularly at peak times when we are going to or from work, school or our daily activities. It will mean that we have to design our road systems to cope with the traffic or find ways of encouraging people to use other forms of transport such as cycling or using public transport. Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks

that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction between vehicles slows the speed of the traffic stream, this results in some congestion. As demand approaches the capacity of a road (or of the intersections along the road), extreme traffic congestion sets in. When vehicles are fully stopped for periods of time, this is colloquially known as a traffic jam or traffic snarl-up. Traffic congestion can lead to drivers becoming frustrated and engaging

in road rage.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queueing_theory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_rage







There are a number of specific circumstances which cause or aggravate congestion; most of them reduce the capacity of a road at a given point or over a certain length, or increase the number of vehicles required for a given volume of people or goods. Traffic research still cannot fully predict under which conditions a "traffic jam" (as opposed to heavy, but smoothly flowing traffic) may suddenly occur. It has been found that individual incidents (such as accidents or even a single car braking heavily in a previously smooth flow) may cause ripple effects (a cascading failure) which then spread out and create a sustained traffic jam when, otherwise, normal flow might have continued for some time longer. There has been research into this subject with a number of theories considered.

Mathematical theories Some traffic engineers have attempted to apply the rules of fluid dynamics to traffic flow, likening it to the flow of a fluid in a pipe. Congestion simulations and real-time observations have shown that in heavy but free flowing traffic, jams can arise spontaneously, triggered by minor events ("butterfly effects"), such as an abrupt steering manoeuvre by a single motorist. Traffic scientists

liken such a situation to the sudden freezing of super-cooled fluid. However, unlike a fluid, traffic flow is often affected by signals or other events at junctions that periodically affect the smooth flow of traffic. Because of the poor correlation of theoretical models to actual observed traffic flows, transportation planners and highway engineers attempt to forecast traffic flow using empirical models. A team of mathematicians has developed a model that describes the formation of "phantom jams," in which small disturbances (a driver hitting the brake too hard, or getting too close to another car) in heavy traffic can become amplified into a full-blown, self-sustaining traffic jam. Key to the study is the realization that the mathematics of such jams, which the researchers call "jamitons," are strikingly similar to the equations that describe detonation waves produced by explosions.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION cont...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascading_failure

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_dynamics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercooling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_flow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_flow







Economic theories Because roads in most places are free at the point of usage, there is little financial incentive for drivers not to over-use them, up to the point where traffic collapses into a jam, when demand becomes limited by opportunity cost. Privatization of highways and road pricing have both been proposed as measures that may reduce congestion through economic incentives and disincentives. Congestion can also happen due to non-recurring highway incidents, such as a crash or road works, which may reduce the road's capacity below normal levels. Economist Anthony Downs argues that rush hour traffic congestion is

inevitable because of the benefits of having a relatively standard work day. In a capitalist economy, goods can be allocated either by pricing (ability to pay) or by queueing (first-come first-served); congestion is an example of the latter. Instead of the traditional solution of making the "pipe" large enough to accommodate the total demand for peak-hour vehicle travel (a supply-side solution), either by widening roadways or increasing "flow pressure" via automated highway systems, Downs advocates greater use of road pricing to reduce congestion (a demand-side solution, effectively rationing demand), in turn plowing the revenues generated therefrom into public transportation projects.

Negative impacts Traffic congestion has a number of negative effects and can frustrate motorists:- Wasting time of motorists and passengers (“opportunity cost”). As a non-productive activity for

most people, congestion reduces regional economic health. Delays, which may result in late arrival for employment, meetings, and education, resulting in lost

business, disciplinary action or other personal losses. Inability to forecast travel time accurately, leading to drivers allocating more time to travel “just in

case”, and less time on productive activities. Wasted fuel increasing air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions owing to increased idling,

acceleration and braking. Wear and tear on vehicles as a result of idling in traffic and frequent acceleration and braking,

leading to more frequent repairs and replacements. Stressed and frustrated motorists, encouraging road rage and reduced health of motorists. Emergencies: blocked traffic may interfere with the passage of emergency vehicles traveling to

their destinations where they are urgently needed. Spillover effect from congested main arteries to secondary roads and side streets as alternative

routes are attempted (‘rat running’), which may affect neighbourhood amenity and real estate prices.

Higher chance of collisions due to tight spacing and constant stopping-and-going. If you would like to read more about this subject go to the RiAus web page at:-

http://riaus.org.au/podcast/a-week-in-science-8-august-2014/?utm_source=RiAusNewsletter&utm_medium=20140808&utm_campaign=AWIS%20Traffic%20Jam

TRAFFIC CONGESTION cont...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opportunity_cost

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_highway

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_pricing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_accident

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Downs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rush_hour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_hours

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_highway_system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_pricing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transportation










WHEN WAS THE FIRST TRAFFIC LIGHT INSTALLED IN ADELAIDE?

It was at the intersection of King William Street, Hindley Street & Rundle Street, in December 1927. They were a Swedish-made stop-go set with red and green lights. The first automatic traffic signal was installed in Adelaide by the Adelaide City Council Works Department at the King William Street/North Terrace intersection in November 1936.

Road Safety points to ponder

1. The best drivers are aware that they must be beware!

2. If you know you are driving to your death—would you still drive so fast?

3. Hug your kids at home, but belt them in the car.

4. Drive as if every child on the street were your own.

5. Life doesn’t have Reset button. Drive Safe.

6. Night doubles traffic troubles.

7. While driving avoid phone or else your family will be left alone

8. Prepare and prevent, don’t repair and repent.

9. Reckless driving just may be your ticket to some place out of this world!

10. Driving faster can cause disaster.

11. Know road safety, No injury. No road safety, Know injury.

12. Road safety is a state of mind, accident is an absence of mind.

driving down hill safely - south australia police · remember the equation in relation to the force...

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