DRIVERS' COMPARATIVE VISIBILITY FROM STRADDLE CARRIERS

This paper suggests that poor visibility may have contributed to accidents involving various types of straddle carrier. A distinction is made between a driver's 'internal' and 'external' visibility, and ways of evaluating these two aspects are suggested. Some of the shortcomings of the internal visibility of a particular carrier are pointed out and a comparison is drawn between the external visibility of various types of carrier on the basis of 'visibility maps' which have been prepared for each make. Some characteristics of a carrier with optimum external visibility are suggested. Finally, it is concluded that manufacturers of all types of heavy mobile equipment should publish details of their machines' visibility.