Improving HGV safety:​ front underrun guards and anti-lock braking systems

Robinson, B. J.; Riley, B. S.

Affiliations

Abstract

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has been working to improve the safety of Goods Vehicles for many years. The most recent areas of research have included front underrun guards and anti-lock braking systems. The results of this research are presented and discussed. For a front underrun guard to be fully effective in full frontal and offset frontal impacts, the TRRL research has found that it should be positioned to have a ground clearance no greater than 400 mm. There were approximately 800 fatal accidents involving HGVs in Great Britain in 1988. Two samples of the Police records of these accidents have been analyzed. The results are presented and, in combination with the TRRL track research, used to estimate the potential life-saving benefits of the proposed safety improvements. The analyses have found that front underrun guards fitted to all HGVs in Great Britain would probably save about 80 lives each year. Anti-lock braking systems are likely to save around 70 lives each year.

Cited Works (3)

Year	Entry
1985	Riley BS, Penoyre S, Bates HJ. Protecting car occupants, pedestrians, and cyclists in accidents involving heavy goods vehicles by using front underrun bumpers and sideguards. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.883-896. SAE 856101.
1987	Riley BS, Farwell AJ, Burgess TM. Front underrun guards for trucks. In: Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 12-15, 1987; Washington, DC.706-716.
1989	Grüttert S, Middelhauve V, Appel H, Langwieder K, Danner M. Truck front-end protection systems. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 29–June 1, 1989; Göteborg, Sweden.173-179.

Cited By (2)

Year	Entry
1994	Robinson BJ. Fatal accidents involving heavy goods vehicles in Great Britain, 1988–1990. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.1704-1717.
1994	Horii M, Tomura K. A study of front underrun protectors for heavy vehicles. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.1751-1761.