Log
Haulers Reminded To Use Radios For Safety's Sake
Log
haulers
in the Houston and Burns Lake areas are reminded to always use their
radios to
call locations while driving on forest roads so oncoming traffic can
get out of
the way safely, said Dennis MacKAY, MLA for Bulkley Valley-Stikine.
“We’ve
already experienced the loss of one log hauler this year. I’m asking
everyone
to do their part so everyone can get home safely at the end of a day –
nothing
is more important,” said MacKAY.
January
is
statistically the most dangerous month for log truck crashes, due in
part to
increased traffic, winter driving conditions and darkness. Forestry
TruckSafe
reports that from January to March 2005, more than half of all crashes
occurred
in January.
“We
are into
the busiest time of year for log haulers in the north, with lots of
trucks on
the road,” said MaryAnne Arcand, director of the B.C. Forest Safety
Council’s
Forestry Trucksafe program. “No matter how early in the morning or late
at
night, there are other people on the road so you must use your radios.”
Although
most truckers do use their radios, the Ministry of Forests and Range is
aware
of three instances where drivers of loaded logging trucks did not use
their
radios to call their locations. This forced drivers of other vehicles
to take
to the ditches to avoid collision, instead of waiting safely in a
turn-out. In
one of these cases, it is believed the driver didn’t have a radio
installed in
the truck, contrary to standard practice on the road.
The
public
can also help keep log haulers safe by giving trucks plenty of room to
stop and
turn. Due to their size and weight, trucks can’t manoeuvre like
personal
vehicles. A loaded truck needs about 90 metres (300 feet or the length
of a
football field) to stop on dry roads. In winter conditions, stopping
distances
can be double that. Likewise, drivers are advised not to follow trucks
too
closely – the truckers can’t see vehicles close behind them, and will
kick up
snow and mud, reducing visibility for following vehicles.
The
Nadina
Forest District and Babine Timber Sales are working to help improve
safety for
forest workers in co-operation with forest licensees, the BC Forest
Safety
Council and other agencies. These activities include regular
discussions with
forest operators, and compliance and enforcement efforts including
random road
checks and speed checks.
For
more
information about trucker safety and to the latest safety alerts, see
Forestry
TruckSafe online at: [www.bcforestsafe.org].
A guide for the public, entitled “Forest Roads: Guide for Safe Travel,” is available online at [www.for.gov.bc.ca/hth/engineering/documents/brochures/Guide-for-Safe-Travel.pdf].
