LifeGuard Technologies, in partnership with Oshkosh Truck, introduced LifeGuard RollTek on the S-Series front discharge mixers at the World of Concrete show in Las Vegas. This introduction marks the integration of the first ever rollover protection system
on a concrete mixer truck.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 60 percent of occupant fatalities in large trucks involve a rollover. Within the concrete industry, rollovers are a commonly reported occurrence, according to a National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) survey compiled in 2003
LifeGuard RollTek, originally developed by LifeGuard Technologies in 2003, helps protect truck drivers by deploying advanced seatbelt technology in sync with integrated airbags to significantly reduce the potential for death or serious injury in a rollover accident.
Here’s how the system works: A sensor inside the cab monitors the truck’s stability, and if it detects an imminent rollover, it initiates three events that all take place within a quarter of a second. First, the system tightens the driver’s seatbelt to minimize movement. Second, it pulls down the suspension seat to its lowest position to increase survivable space between the driver’s head and the roof of the vehicle. Third, the system inflates a side airbag to cushion head impact and to reduce head and neck injuries during the rollover.
RollTek, now available on the majority of fire apparatus, is helping protect thousands of firefighters in more than 400 communities, 40 states and five countries. To learn more about RollTek, visit www.rolltek.com.
