Hello, my name is Brian and I live in Syndey, Australia with my wife and our four kids. I have a busy day job working in an office, so at the weekends, I like to get away from it all. Last year, I took my wife and kids out for a drive into the Outback. I am a pretty experienced driver, but I still managed to get the wheels of our car stuck in some deep mud. The sun was getting low in the sky and I started to panic. Thankfully, I managed to contact the local tow truck company who sent a man out to rescue us. He even towed my car to the nearest garage and gave me some top tips about how to tow vehicles. I hope you enjoy my blog.
When it comes to the transportation of heavy machinery, flatbed towing is a clear choice of towing method. The reasons for this are quite obvious, including minimising the risk of potential damage to costly machinery, faster towing and improved road safety. While flatbed towing is in itself generally considered to be the most convenient and safest towing option for transporting heavy machinery, businesses that provide roadside service know that no chances should be taken when it comes to ensuring safety on the roads. Here is a look at some of the strategies that successful roadside service providers are currently employing to improve safety on the roads while they are transporting heavy machinery.
Providing escort cars
Because they understand that heavy machinery are high-value loads, most successful roadside service providers do not think twice about giving such loads special transport. They can provide a small fleet of vehicles to escort the towing truck from the pick-up point to the intended destination. Escort vehicles are required to keep a sufficient distance in front of or behind the vehicle hauling the load so as to warn approaching motorists of the oversize load. The driver carrying the oversize load is required to maintain constant communication with all escort vehicle drivers, e.g., by using two-way radios.
Making use of signage
Escort vehicle drivers primarily rely on signage to warn approaching drivers of the oversize load. They can put on reflective vests so as to stay clearly visible while on the road and use warning flags for flagging, e.g. when they need to stop at the entrances and exits to narrow roadways so as to allow for safe passage of the load before other motorists can be allowed to access the road structures. When moving in the night-time, escort vehicles may be equipped with powerful flashlights to warn other motorists of lurking danger ahead.
Fitting digital tachographs in towing trucks
While the use of technological gadgets, such as mobile phones, while driving has been blamed for the increase in the number of road accidents occurring in Australia and other parts of the world, new technology is also contributing to better road safety in so many ways. Many modern roadside service companies, for example, have fitted tachographs in their towing trucks to record the amount of time drivers spend on the road vis-à-vis the time they spend resting, in addition to capturing crucial data regarding the vehicle. This helps ensure truckers do not sit behind the wheel longer than they are supposed to so as to prevent driver fatigue. It also helps ensure the vehicle gets maintenance and repair service when needed.
Share11 April 2017
