What does a runaway trailer really do?

[aczlan]

Here is what one runaway trailer did moving slowly. Imagine what it could go if it came lose at 55MPH: Smashed GN trailer into back of my 5058M

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

I run double safety chains on my bigger trailers and use those nut type links for them, never liked "s" hooks for safety chains.

i don't like s hooks either.. i either like the grab hooks with the keepers or the lockable links.

 

[MillWeld]

These stories are really helpful to me. I have a trailer and sawmill that I tow in my log salvaging passion. As I was towing the 3500 lb mill last time, I couldn't remember if I had inserted the locking pin in the hitch. I pulled over at a wide spot and sure enough I had forgotten. There was no consequence but it certainly was unsafe practice. No matter how tired I am at the end of a job, my hope is these stories will come to mind and put me in a safety conscience state.

 

[shortthrow50]

Here is what one runaway trailer did moving slowly. Imagine what it could go if it came lose at 55MPH: Smashed GN trailer into back of my 5058M

Aaron Z

not much since the towing vehicle would be going same speed and have a breakaway hook up on it. that was at a stand still to stop trailer from going down hill

 

[medic0648]

By law you don't have to have safety chains on a 5th wheel. Big rigs don't have them or anywhere to attach them. But the majority of truckers check their hitch regularly. I have had a hitch fail. Luckily I was on the company yard and was grabbing a truck on the yard to shuttle some trailers since mine was in the shop. I dropped the trailer and pulled out. Got out to complete my checks and noticed the whole 5th wheel plate missing. Looked under the front of the trailer and it was still attached. The top of the pin retainers had failed on both sides and the trailer had been held on by gravity. Just fyi, you can't see the pins with a trailer on the truck, and barely with it off. Had to go to the shop and get a mechanic with a forklift and chain to get the 5th wheel plate off. Luckily the normal driver of the truck didn't leave when he got the load and just hooked to it.

 

[slowzuki]

I came around a blind turn on the way home at night to just about hit a semi trailer dropped in the road. The pin had come out the top of the 5th wheel plate and dropped onto the landing gear and belly (it was a chip trailer). The driver had lost all his connections including lights and was working madly to try to catch the trailer with the front edge of the hitch plate to drag the trailer off the road.

I didn't take the time to talk to him before I ran back to block traffic.

 

[Soundguy]

where were his 3 triangle sets?

 

[slowzuki]

I'm not sure he was thinking straight as the trailer was blocking both lanes, I'm guessing he figured he could hook it faster than he could get some triangles set up, which to befair, there is a real risk he could have got hit going back to set them up.

 

[Soundguy]

I'm guessing the triangles would have been #1 priority.

We take risks waking up and getting out of bed every day.

leaving a staleld trailer around a blind curve, blocking traffic , un marked with hazard markings to indicate such.. IMHO.. would have been a liability opening big enough to float a battleship thru for his company and himself. not to mention the FDOT issues...

At work.. even if we have a truck broke down on the ROADSIDE we deploy triangles immediately as the ROW is blocked ... that said.. i'm sure some co's have a different level of action/tolerance when it comes to dot and libaility...etc

 

[JDgreen227]

I'm guessing the triangles would have been #1 priority.

We take risks waking up and getting out of bed every day.

leaving a staleld trailer around a blind curve, blocking traffic , un marked with hazard markings to indicate such.. IMHO.. would have been a liability opening big enough to float a battleship thru for his company and himself. not to mention the FDOT issues...

At work.. even if we have a truck broke down on the ROADSIDE we deploy triangles immediately as the ROW is blocked ... that said.. i'm sure some co's have a different level of action/tolerance when it comes to dot and libaility...etc

Soundguy, I drove commercial vehicles for 31 years and if had been in the same situation as the driver in that post with the loose trailer, I doubt if I would have taken the time to set out triangles myself. And IMO the vast majority of drivers would not even see the triangles, and only a few that did would actually know what they meant.

It's just my biased opinion, but I have long thought instead of red triangles, they should use something with REAL VISIBILITY such as the SMV signs required on tractors.