Runaway trailer smashes into van near Oswestry

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

A trailer carrying bales of hay came free from a tractor, causing a dramatic crash involving a van and a motorbike.

The driver of a BT van had to be cut from his vehicle after the uncoupled trailer smashed into the bonnet. A motorcyclist also narrowly escaped injury, as he jumped free before his bike was crushed underneath the two vehicles.

The crash happened on the A495 near Welsh Frankton at 5.20pm yesterday.

Toby Beckett, 40, who was visiting the county from Cornwall, witnessed the accident. He said the tractor was travelling up the hill close to The Brow Golf Club, when the trailer came free and began slipping backwards into the oncoming traffic.

He said: “The trailer bounced free from the tractor, rolled back down the hill towards the now standing traffic and the vehicles tried to reverse out of the way but were not fast enough.

“The trailer first hit a BT van. The bed of the trailer went over the bonnet of the van, through the windscreen, smashing the steering wheel off and stopping millimetres away from the van driver’s face

“The two vehicles, now locked together, carried on backwards. The trapped BT engineer was pushing down on his foot brake. He had pulled his handbrake up as much as he could but was still going backwards, hitting the next vehicle in the line, a motorcycle.

“The young man on his motorcycle tried to move out the way. His motorcycle was crushed under the BT van as it was pushed back down the hill.

“He jumped to safety in the nick of time as his bike was pinned down by the van. The BT engineer, keeping his foot on the brake, was able to stop the three-vehicle wreck going any further down the hill.

“My partner quickly realised the potential for more damage and had run down the hill to turn any new traffic away.

“They were so lucky it wasn’t more serious, there could’ve been a couple of fatalities.

“The best thing was that everyone was okay.”

Fire crews cut one driver free, but the road was cleared by 6pm.

Courtesy of Shropshire Star newspaper.

2

so what’s the law on these tractors pulling trailers between fields then , bet you can be sure there’s a claws that means they don’t have to do this and that :wink:

3

The maximum (gross or fully laden) weight of an agricultural tractor is 24,390 kg. The maximum
weight of an agricultural combination (tractor plus trailer) is also 24,390 kg.
The maximum length of an agricultural tractor is 12m. This is unlikely to be exceeded so it is more
useful to list the maximum length of trailer that is allowed. This is normally 12m. In the case of a
“Composite trailer” (semi-trailer and converter dolly) the maximum length is 14.04m. In the case of
an Agricultural trailed appliance, in other words towed equipment (with gross weight less than
double the unladen weight) the maximum length is 15m.
The maximum width of a tractor (or trailer) is 2.55m. Certain essential parts such as lights and
mirrors can be ignored when measurement of width takes place.
Under special circumstances Agricultural vehicles wider than 2.55m are permitted to use public
roads. The Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order 2003 (known as STGO)
permits the road use of Agricultural vehicles that are up to 4.3 metres in width, subject to terms and
conditions. The key ones are as follows:
Width — between 2.55m and 3m: speed must not exceed 20mph.
Width — between 3m and 3.5m: maximum speed 20mph as above, plus if the journey
is over 5 miles or the speed limit in the road is 40mph or lower, (or both), the operator
must notify the Police in advance of the journey.
Width - between 3.5m and 4.3m: the Police must be notified, the maximum speed is
limited to 12 mph and the vehicle(s) must be accompanied by an attendant, who may
ride in a different vehicle but must ensure no danger is caused to the vehicle or other
road users. The police, following notification, may place restrictions on the use of the
vehicle in the interests of road safety or to avoid undue traffic congestion.

The braking requirements depend on the speed at which the tractor travels, and its age:
Agricultural tractor used at speeds not exceeding 20mph, or which was manufactured before
1986 — braking efficiency of at least 25% is required. In the event of failure of any part, the brakes
must still be capable of bring the vehicle to rest in a reasonable distance. A mechanical parking
brake is required, which can hold the vehicle stationary on a gradient of at least 16%.
Agricultural tractor manufactured since 1986 and used at speeds exceeding 20 mph - braking
in line with ECE Regulation 13 or EEC Directive 71/320/EEC. Consult the manufacturer to check
whether the tractor complied when it was new. Most tractors do not comply with these requirements
so should only be used at speeds up to and not exceeding 20mph.

4

I think I can just about make out a Scammell coupling at the front of that trailer, which will mean that it is a home-made contraption. I don’t see anything being used to secure that load either. This ought to result in a whole host of charges. I’d like to see the whole lot being taken to the nearest Vosa station for a thorough once over. But there again probably not.

5

It all seems like a minefield of contradictory regs.Basically any type of heavy vehicle running at those type of weights needs a proper air brake system,preferably with spring brakes for if the system fails such as a trailer getting loose and/or the brake lines/air supply to the trailer being lost.The idea of removing those conditions based on the speed of the vehicle is obviously going to result in issues like this example.

6

I got stuck in a road closure near Tring earlier this year where a tractor and trailer lost it’s load of bales. Not a strap in site and the police were giving farmer Giles a telling off. Then his boss arrives and does a lot of head shaking and arm waving at the police etc. Probably told the police that they don’t understand how hard farmers have it…How they don’t make money because the wife has just bought a new Range Rover and the farmer must buy a new combine every couple of years etc etc (wearing of Barbour clothing optional). Seriously if I was a Vosa employee, I’d hang around outside farms watching, and run up my quotas in no time.

7

If the red tops reported this it would go something along the lines of “killer juggernaut brings carnage to rural paradise”.

8

cav551:
I think I can just about make out a Scammell coupling at the front of that trailer, which will mean that it is a home-made contraption. I don’t see anything being used to secure that load either. This ought to result in a whole host of charges. I’d like to see the whole lot being taken to the nearest Vosa station for a thorough once over. But there again probably not.

It looks more like a fith-wheel dolly coupling to me mate!

9

You’d think mr BT would have had the good sense to jump out his van.

10

merc0447:
You’d think mr BT would have had the good sense to jump out his van.

I think the BT man averted what could have been a bigger disaster, by staying in the van and stopping the trailer.

11

Dave the Renegade:

merc0447:
You’d think mr BT would have had the good sense to jump out his van.

I think the BT man averted what could have been a bigger disaster, by staying in the van and stopping the trailer.

Going by that article sounds like he was a baw hair away from being killed actions of a daft arse if you ask me.

12

Why the fuss? Its a farmer. Their exempt from any laws remember :unamused:

13

merc0447:

Dave the Renegade:

merc0447:
You’d think mr BT would have had the good sense to jump out his van.

I think the BT man averted what could have been a bigger disaster, by staying in the van and stopping the trailer.

Going by that article sounds like he was a baw hair away from being killed actions of a daft arse if you ask me.

Unless you witnessed it, you can’t say if he had time to get out. He survived and possibly save the motorcyclist’s life.

14

A farmer bought my low loader ,he came from Norwich in a fast trac with a dolly which was a seddon Atki the tyres were split on the recaps and were less than 1 mm tread ,the 5th wheel bed wasn’t as wide as the flitch plates so it had been tac welded to the chassis ,the spring had gone from the 5 th wheel arm and the only thing holding the jaw in was cable ties on the handle !

15

I stand to be corrected but I believe there are no tread or condition requirements for tractors or trailers towed by tractors.

16

m1cks:
I stand to be corrected but I believe there are no tread or condition requirements for tractors or trailers towed by tractors.

No surprise there then .

17

m1cks:
I stand to be corrected but I believe there are no tread or condition requirements for tractors or trailers towed by tractors.

All trailers over 750 kg require brakes, if towed above 20mph
they should have high speed (commercial) brakes with a
mechanism to apply the trailer brakes in the event the trailer
accidentally detaches.

18

Dan Punchard:

m1cks:
I stand to be corrected but I believe there are no tread or condition requirements for tractors or trailers towed by tractors.

No surprise there then .

So how does this compare with such as the fairground they’re test exempt but if caught with defects they have to rectified to a road worthy condition .

19

Its high time that legislation was brought in, and enforced of farmers using old artic trailers on dollies, that are test failures on the public highway. They bring these relics out onto the roads every time there is straw to be shifted, lots of them are never checked or have had no maintenance for years.
There are a few farmers who have purpose built trailers with proper brakes and lighting, but they are a small percentage, compared to the others running overloaded rubbish on the roads.

20

Dave the Renegade:

m1cks:
I stand to be corrected but I believe there are no tread or condition requirements for tractors or trailers towed by tractors.

All trailers over 750 kg require brakes, if towed above 20mph
they should have high speed (commercial) brakes with a
mechanism to apply the trailer brakes in the event the trailer
accidentally detaches.

That’s braked trailers but my specific statement was about tyres. I used to deliver to a brewery and they had a farmers trailer out front for the old hops the farmer took away. There was more cord showing than rubber on this thing but apparently it’s legal.