Prevent a Bridge Strike with These Insights

Ribbon-candy sheet metal curls strafed the top of the trailer impossibly wedged beneath the bridge supporting the four tracks of the Northeast Corridor rail line.   Head still rattling from the jolt of tractor coming to a violent stop, the truck driver relived the explosion of the impact followed by the metal-on-metal shriek that seemed like it would never end.   Bridge strikes like this happen hundreds of times a day across America. Regardless of the notoriety of sites like Davenport, Iowa’s “truck eating bridge” and despite efforts to warn drivers, they continue to occur.   The costs to carriers, their insurers and bridge owners can be staggering. Trailers worth $20K or more are almost always totaled and cargo is often lost. In cases where bridges are structurally damaged, repair costs can be anywhere from $500K to $1M, says Ted Kniazewycz, director of the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s structures division in Stateline.  Drivers take a hit too. Physical injuries are possible, but the most likely damage is loss of employment, revocation of CDL or OOS stints if there are prior accidents, and/or considerable hikes in insurance premiums down the line.   It’s every driver, carrier or bridge-owner’s nightmare to see a truck strike a bridge. But there are 13,000-18,000 of them a year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Many bridges are already in a fragile state. The American Road & Transportation Builders Association estimates 36% of U.S bridges are in need of major repairs or replacement. The potential for causing catastrophic damage that leads to death, injury and closure of a critical highway or rail line grows as America’s bridges decline.   The good news is that bridge strikes are 100% avoidable—but truckers, authorities, and communities must do their part.   The starting point for truckers is to know your truck height. Most 53-foot dry trailers are 13 feet 6 inches high, but there can be variations. A heavy cargo compresses the suspension and lowers trailer height. Additionally, trailers with air suspension systems have leeway that allows for trailer height to be adjusted to ride lower to pass under bridges.   Tire size can be a factor. The difference between larger or smaller tires can mean several inches in height for a trailer. Tire pressure affects trailer height as well.   Inspecting trailer height is part of the pre-trip inspection and the requirement to do a walk around the tractor and trailer to ensure the vehicle is safe and compliant. It’s critical for flatbed trailers carrying oversized loads to be measured to ensure they can fit safely under bridges.   It is recommended to keep the height of trailers posted in plain sight on the dashboard, especially in leased or shared tractors. Having it marked on the outside of the trailer doesn’t allow quick reference when you’re approaching a bridge and need confirmation.   Avoiding bridge strikes is about knowing your truck height as well as the bridge hazards so you can completely avoid them.   Route planning by drivers and/or dispatchers is the key to knowing low clearances before you find yourself in the position of only just learning a bridge height once it’s too late. Consulting state-specific roadmaps and checking into suspicious clearances ahead of time pays off.   The best option is to use a GPS system specifically designed for truckers for route planning and navigation. Today’s apps can account for your truck height, weight and any restrictions like hazmat that may apply. The best apps provide trucker-relevant information regarding road closures and detours that could force drivers to take unexpected routes that have low bridges. Tools like the TruckerPath Navigation Tool tap into a deep data pool that’s constantly updated to guide you to a route that avoids low clearances.   Authorities, communities and bridge owners are wise to do whatever possible to alert drivers through clearance warning signs placed early and often as well as signs directing truckers along alternate routes. Clanker balls—hanging objects that strike over-height vehicles—are one of the most forceful ways to prevent bridge strikes. Smart bridge owners are also leveraging technologies using lasers or sensors to detect over-height trucks and sound an alarm or flash lights to warn off truckers.   Truckers are wise to exercise a heightened awareness to “no trucks” signs or other clues and augment awareness with onboard technology. Systems are available that deliver a voice alert to drivers or disable the vehicles throttle to idle when their tractor is approaching a low clearance.   Bridge strikes are preventable, but only when carriers and communities work together. There will always be times when truckers find themselves on unfamiliar roads. Communities have a responsibility to help guide and protect the drivers who deliver for them every day.