CRASH!

Jim Chinny is a mechanical engineer who has spent most of his career developing safety products, often working closely with truck builders. He's director of the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation at the Lifeguard Technologies Division of IMMI. That company makes shoulder-seat belts, including the familiar yellow Comfort Latch that gives a driver's upper body some slack and makes wearing a belt easier. Lifeguard is currently marketing a driver's air bag and side-curtain air bags to truck manufacturers, so we can safely say he's biased about the benefits of safety technology.

But he and others interviewed for this article cite some compelling statistics that make a business case for safety, and therefore their products. For example, the average wreck costs $166,000 in property damage and driver injuries, jumping to $3.4 million if there's a fatality involved, according to studies by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

About 800 truck drivers died in wrecks last year, compared to about 600 a decade earlier. Fatalities have increased because there are more trucks on the road, though they declined by 4.7 percent from 2005 to 2006, the largest drop in 14 years, according to the American Trucking Associations. Overall, the accident rate is steady because most drivers act professionally, Chinny says.

But even a non-fatal wreck can cost millions of dollars, notes Fred Andersky, the marketing manager for electronics, and product manager for data management at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems. The rollover of a tanker at the west end of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on April 29 destroyed the rig and its load of 8,600 gallons of gasoline, which exploded. The retail value of the gasoline was $27,950, based on $3.25 per gallon, and the lightweight rig was probably worth $150,000 or so. The driver suffered some burns but was able to walk away from the early morning wreck and summon a taxi to get to a hospital.

However, the fire's intense heat destroyed two I-580 ramps, which is running up an estimated $6 million in materials and labor to repair. Work is being done fast, but temporary closure of the bridge cost the bridge authority $1.1 million a day in lost tolls, according to press reports. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered free public transit for the first day, April 30, resulting in more costs. It's an extreme example of how expensive a wreck can be, and is likely to skew the government's per-accident numbers for 2007.

Avoiding even one average property damage wreck, however, would allow a fleet manager to save enough money to equip many of his trucks – maybe his entire fleet – with anti-rollover products, Andersky argues. Bendix's Electronic Stability Program, which sidesteps rollovers by sensing an impending incident and slowing the truck, lists at about $2,000, but sells for less in volume deals, he says. It's offered in certain trucks and tractors by International, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt and Volvo (where it's standard and non-deletable). International also offers Meritor Wabco's Electronic Stability Control, which is also available from Freightliner, Sterling and Western Star.

Mack was the first to adopt the Bendix system for its Granite mixer truck chassis, and Volvo followed soon thereafter. They chose mixers because the vehicles are top-heavy and prone to rollovers, especially in righthand turns when a concrete load is being pulled up the left side of the drum. Since a mixer costs $150,000 or more to replace if it's wrecked, ready-mix fleets have begun ordering it. Bendix engineers say the software that resides in the system's control unit must be customized for each type of chassis, whether a three-axle 10-wheeler or a multi-axle "super" unit. But it starts with the ABS that's already on the truck, making it fairly economical to add.

However, "a stability system doesn't replace a good driver," says Fred Andersky. "There still has to be a good training and safety program in the fleet. A stability system will not replace the laws of physics; if a driver goes into a turn way too fast, he's going over. But if a good driver unintentionally pushes the limit or has a bad day, it can make a difference."

Click It Or Ticket

It's bad enough to lose a truck in a rollover, but the accident will be far less costly in both financial and human terms if the driver is protected where he sits. That's the point of lap-shoulder belts, which keep the driver in place, and a more advanced product that Jim Chinny and his colleagues at Lifeguard Technology have devised. This is RollTek, which integrates the seatbelt and seat suspension with air bags to secure and cushion the driver.

RollTek has a rollover sensor that detects a rolling motion and monitors the truck's roll angle and rate – how fast it's going over. When it detects a non-recoverable roll, its tightens the lap-shoulder belt, then compresses the seat's air suspension down to its lowest position. That secures the driver and pulls his head away from the roof. The third step deploys a side-mounted airbag, which shoots forward and up. This cushions the driver's head as his body moves to the left, stopping it from banging into the hard window header or its glass. The bag is mounted in the seat, so all the truck builder has to do is bolt in the seat, Chinny says. It's available in Freightliner's new Cascadia, and might be offered by others.

Even a lap-shoulder belt alone goes a long way in protecting a driver in any kind of impact. Wearing a belt doubles his or her chances of survival, government stats show. This was graphically demonstrated in a crash test done at Chinny's research facility north of Indianapolis earlier this year. Technicians accelerated a mid-1990s GMC medium-duty truck to 30 mph before it slammed against an immovable concrete barrier, where it stopped almost instantly. Thirty mph might not sound fast, but the force of the crash was stunning, crushing the truck's front end and ruining its fiberglass hood. Still, its steel cab stayed intact and its doors readily opened after the crash.

More sobering was what happened inside. Two test dummies – more properly called anthropomorphic test devices, which are instrumented to measure impacts and estimate injuries, and thus aren't so dumb – went through violent gyrations in the moments of impact. The driver, who was belted in and further aided by an airbag in the steering wheel, "survived." The beltless passenger was thrown around inside the cab, first bashing his head into the windshield glass, then flying left, right and left again before ending up sprawled against the driver. He was "killed."

Video of the events in the cab were played back to us in the audience, and we marveled at the violence as well as the effectiveness of the belt. Even without the bag, the driver would still be "alive."

Folks won't wear belts if they're uncomfortable. Big and short people are bothered by the shoulder belt, which can chafe against one's chest and shoulder as the cab and seat move relative to each other. And it pulls against the upper body, sometimes inducing a sharp ache. The answer to this is the Comfort Latch, which keeps the shoulder belt away from the upper body (as do hardware clamps or plastic clips on the shoulder belts in cars or light trucks).

"The latch does introduce a little lag in the system," because it doesn't restrain the body quite as quickly as a tightly secured belt when the body lurches forward, Chinny says, "but a truck driver is behind the wheel many hours a day, day after day. So what might be a minor annoyance in a car becomes a major one in a truck. We introduced it in '87 or '88, and made it standard in '93. And we saw that wear rates increased in that time."

Seatbelt usage is up as authorities continue to pound home the message that they really do save lives. And stiffer state mandatory use laws and national enforcement campaigns – the latest is dubbed "Click It or Ticket" – have also gotten the message through. About a third of truck drivers, though, still don't wear them, some citing fear of being trapped inside a burning rig (it's happened, but studies show a driver is far more likely to survive an impact and then be in shape to escape if he's belted in), or that they'll dive for the floor when a crash is imminent (wrecks happen too fast for them to do it).

Look Out!

Another serious type of crash is the rear-ender, where one vehicle hits the tail end of the one just ahead, maybe pushing it into a third vehicle. In fact, says Amy Houser, an engineer in FMCSA's Technology Division, studies show that's what happened in 18 percent of rear-end crashes where heavy trucks did the hitting.

Houser made her comments at the start of an FMCSA-sponsored "webinar" from Washington. The agency is promoting "forward collision warning systems," a generic term for Eaton's Vorad collision-avoidance radar, which warns drivers when something's slowing down or stopped ahead, or if they're following too closely. In the '90s, Greyhound Bus Lines significantly cut its number of rear-end collisions after installing Vorad, and several progressive trucking fleets then began using it as well.

She recounted results of a test of Vorad with adaptive cruise control run by U.S. Xpress, an early user of the device. Its radar looks 300 feet ahead and reports to the system's central processing unit, which warns the driver with lights and an audible alarm. The CPU works with engine controls to alter speed to maintain distance or reduce vehicle speed by cutting the throttle and activating the engine brake.

Driver acceptance of the system was high, even though drivers considered half the warnings to be false. The typical following distance was 15 feet more than in trucks without the system, according to data captured by the radar and recorded in the CPU. Eight out of 10 drivers thought the system helped them because they were more aware of what was ahead of their trucks. But does Vorad help reduce accidents now?

Yes, said a pair of fleet managers who equipped their road tractors with it. The first was Andrew Boyle, executive vice president of Boyle Transportation, which specializes in carrying hazardous materials. Its driver teams average 180,000 to 210,000 miles per year with an average haul of 900 miles.

"For safety, we spec automated transmissions; Vorad with side sensors, which we've used since 2000; roll stability advisor and control, now integrated in the factory by Freightliner; a side-tracker video camera which covers four lanes on the right for entire length of trailer; and a lane-departure warning system," Boyle said.

"We use the systems to prevent fatalities, and we can sleep better at night because we invest in the technology," he continued. "We give drivers tools to enhance performance, but that does not replace the professional drivers. We figure that the investment in safety equipment pays off, because you can figure on $100,000 to $200,000 loss per year from accidents otherwise. We sell the use of it to customers, as it differentiates us from competitors, and to drivers, pointing out that it helps keep them safe."

The fleet has 40 million miles of experience with Vorad, and while early models used separate readouts mounted on the dashboard, the latest ones have displays that are integrated into Freightliner's Smart Dash. Driver surveys show that collision warning systems with smart cruise and side sensors help prevent accidents, though they don't necessarily make them safer drivers, Boyle commented. They have to be trained on the systems and get regular general safety training.

Maintenance problems have included some system shutdowns, he said. Eaton's support has been excellent, but parts are not readily available at dealers. The forward antenna is integrated into the bumper, but side antennas protrude. He recommended factory installation to avoid warranty issues. Vorad without SmartCruise is not much help, he noted, because drivers need to react versus an automatic slowing down of the truck with the adaptive cruise control. And accident reconstruction, which can be a valuable tool in an accident that becomes an issue, takes at least a month.

Phil Jennings is director of safety and training at Saia Motor Freight, a scheduled LTL carrier whose drivers are almost always out and back into home terminals on same day. Saia has 4,500 drivers – many of them new – and the carrier noticed it was experiencing rear-end and overturn accidents. About 940 of its Volvo tractors now have Vorad collision warning systems, which he referred to as CWS. It aims to get drivers to leave 4 seconds following time from a vehicle ahead, but he's found that 3 seconds is normal.

"Rear-end accidents are our highest type," Jennings said, noting that CWS helps compensate by warning of vehicles ahead running 20 percent slower and of parked vehicles or other objects in their paths, and of obstacles alongside up to 15 feet away. The warnings are "especially helpful to drivers in city operations – helpful if they're distracted or drowsy."

Saia has the older VS300 system with less capability than the latest VS400. The 300 looks ahead 500 feet with Doppler radar and can track up to 20 vehicles – a 2-second alert means something is 180 feet ahead, for example. The side radar sensor is not integrated and is located near steps where it can be bumped, thus giving inaccurate readings.

In the dash-mounted display, volume can be adjusted but not turned off. Warning lights begin glowing at 3 seconds and a combination of lights and beeping audible tones start at 2 seconds and under. Lights begin glowing orange if an object is 3 seconds or more ahead, and more glow orange at 2 seconds. At 1 second or less, there's a continuing tone until the driver spreads out the distance. SmartCruise activates at 3 seconds, reducing the throttle and eventually disconnecting entirely.

CWS stores data, including following distance, speed and hard braking events, for up to 30 days. Mechanics download data, which is sent to the safety department for review, Jennings explained. Data are stored by fleet, tractor, driver (each inserts an ID card before beginning a trip), and other categories. Vorad can report by exception and by user-set criteria, such as two hard-braking events. But safety supervisors have to run separate reports for different criteria – a bit of a nuisance.

Supervisors got Big Brother-type complaints from drivers, then claims that reports were in error. Supervisors can't get data until after the fact, and time lapse between occurrences and talking to offending drivers has been a problem (the new system supplies realtime data, but less of it). The sheer amount of data can be overwhelming, he said, but supervisors cope with it. Accident reconstruction takes a while to get, but it's second- by-second and useful in civil cases.

Vorad has helped increase typical following times from 3 to 4 seconds, but Jennings gave Saia's on-going safety training some of the credit. It uses the Smith System, which teaches defensive driving based on constant and careful observation. Rear-end accidents have been cut by 20 percent, and there have been no rear-enders with any tractors with CWS (FMCSA's Houser said that Saia's 20 percent rear-end accident reduction was also found in other field tests). At-risk drivers, like speeders and hard brakers, are identified and can be dealt with. Speeding and other citations have been reduced. Safety-related driver turnover was reduced, although during a new hire's first five days, a driver-trainer rides along – another positive influence.

What were the fleets' dollar savings? Curiously, neither manager tracked things that way. Boyle said the per-unit purchase price of $5,500 to $6,500 can be amortized over its multi-year life. "We didn't have rear-end accidents, but we figure the risk is still out there, so investment can be compared to a claim of $100,000 for one accident," which is still a good payback. Said Jennings, "On the average, our rear-end accidents cost $230,000 each. So when we look at vehicles using and not using the system, we saved about 11 rear-end accidents in two and a half years. Take the numbers and multiply them and you have it." That's a savings of $2.53 million, which about cuts the purchase price of each of the 940 Vorads in half, and the savings continue.

More Opportunities

We've discussed just three types of safety equipment – anti-rollover controls, forward-looking collision warning systems, and the good 'ol lap-and-shoulder belt – and seen that they work, usually supplying good paybacks in return for their purchase costs. There are other products and other opportunities to cut accidents and injuries, like automated mechanical transmissions, driving simulators, lane departure warning systems and in-cab cameras, and we'll describe them in future issues.

Yes, Anti-Rollover Systems Work

This reporter can testify that the antirollover systems work, at least in demonstration and testing situations. I've driven trucks and tractor-trailers equipped with the products on big parking lots and saw how they automatically slowed the rigs in tight turns, preventing what would otherwise have been certain rollovers. The difference between going into a turn with a system turned on or off is dramatic, but of course production versions of the systems are always on alert.

The most recent demo experience was a year ago in Washington, D.C., where ArvinMeritor and Wabco people showed off two products for trucks and tractors that they jointly make and market: Roll Stability Control (RSC), which concentrates on center of gravity and lateral and braking forces, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a more advanced truck and tractor system that has additional sensors to measure steering input and yaw, or rotation, motion.

There's also Roll Stability Support (RSS) for trailers. This keys on lateral movements and g-forces in the braking system and airbag suspension. RSS acts alone to keep a trailer from doing its roll-and-pull act in dangerous maneuvers by applying its brakes. In such events, the trailer begins rolling first and soon pulls over the tractor. The driver doesn't notice what's happening because there's no seat-of-the-pants feel as the trailer begins tipping, and he doesn't see it because he's looking into the turning roadway, not at his mirrors.

If he did glance into the mirrors, as I did while driving a Freightliner Century-andflatbed rig during the demos, he'd see the trailer contorting as its rear end rolls first and the twisting forces travel forward toward the tractor. But in the demo, an outrigger on each side of the trailer stopped any rollover; the tire on the one on the outside of a turn touches down and that's as far as the trailer will go.

That happens when a test system is switched off. When it's on, a roll is arrested because the electronic system orders th engine to reduce power, then applies the brakes via the tractor's ABS controller. The rig's speed is reduced by 10 mph or more as it goes through a turn and finishes the maneuver on all of its regular 18 wheels.

A near-rollover in a straight truck is more violent. I experienced this at the Meritor Wabco demo, which used a Stewart & Stevenson military 4x4 cargo truck, and at a Bendix demo earlier in the year, at the Las Vegas Speedway. Bendix had its stability system, which also has sensors to measure to steering input and accelerometers to gauge yaw and lateral g-forces, installed on a Mack Granite 6x4 mixer. Going into sharp turns, rolls began at the truck's rear as the tandem's wheels on the inside of the turn suddenly began lifting. Within milliseconds the front of the truck rose, too, and anybody in the cab was shaken roughly in the process.

With the system switched on, the truck's speed slowed as its engine power was first cut, then its brakes activated, and rollovers were averted. The system also cut power on me several times as I made sharp right turns at the other end of the parking lot; I was driving too slow for it to apply the brakes, but it knew that the truck was still moving too fast into the turns for its own good. In the sharp turn and lane-change maneuvers, the system simultaneously cut power and applied the brakes.

On a tractor, the Bendix stability system sends signals that are read by the trailer's ABS, whether it's Bendix's or another manufacturer's. If the trailer is an older one without ABS, the system on the tractor sends pulsing pneumatic signals back to the trailer brakes, effectively turning them into ABScontrolled units. Bendix also has a trailer system called TEPS-4, and has two others coming out later this year.

Meritor Wabco and Bendix demonstrate their rigs with stability control at various venues throughout the year. If you hear of one, try to go to it and experience what the systems can do. As the demonstrators will tell you, the systems won't stop all rollovers, but even so, you'll begin believing in them.