PRE-PROGRAMMED ACCIDENTS WITH CAR TRANSPORTERS

FROM AN ANALYSIS OF THE ACCIDENTS OF A LARGE GERMAN FIRM DEALING WITH SPECIAL CAR TRANSPORTERS IT WAS PROVED THAT 75% OF THE ACCIDENTS OF THIS FIRM COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO THREE GROUPS OF CAUSES, NAMELY, TURNING IN OR OUT OF SIDE ROADS, REVERSING AND LOADING AND UNLOADING. MANY ACCIDENTS CAN - PRESUPPOSING CAREFUL DRIVING - BE AVOIDED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF MINOR DESIGN MODIFICATIONS. FOR INSTANCE THE FIXING OF A SECOND REAR-VIEW MIRROR CAN IMPROVE THE SPATIAL COORDINATION BETWEEN THE REAR OF THE TRANSPORTER AND A PARKED VEHICLE OR OTHER OBSTACLE. MANY OF THE CARS CARRIED BY THE TRANSPORTER ARE BRAND NEW VEHICLES; THESE ARE IN GENERAL COVERED WITH A PROTECTIVE WAX COATING WHICH IMPAIRS VISIBILITY DURING UNLOADING OF THE CARS. THIS COULD BE IMPROVED BY THE USE OF AN EXTERIOR MIRROR PROVIDED WITH A MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT. THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS COULD BE REDUCED BY THIS MEANS. THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS ARE THEREFORE URGED TO INCLUDE THESE ITEMS IN THEIR ATTACHMENTS CATALOGUES FOR CAR TRANSPORTERS.