VOLVO is to probe the braking system of its articulated
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lorries following a fatal crash on the M62 Motorway at Clifton, near Huddersfield, in January.
And if the recommendations of a Huddersfield inquest held last week are adopted, then the company will alter the parking brake control lever.
The inquest was told that the articulated lorry jackknifed after the parking brake had been pulled on accidentally by the driver while travelling at more than 50mph ' along the eastbound carriageway.
It then Went through a gap on the central reservation, demolished a lamp standard, mounted a crash barrier and came to rest in the fast lane of the westbound carriageway. A motorist died instantly when his car hit the tractive unit.
The jury returned an "accidental death" verdict and added the following rider: "We feel that safety measures in respect of the parking brake should be further investigated and that the facts of the case should be brought to the attention of Volvo."
The inquest was told by Sergeant Ian Jayne, of the West Yorkshire Investigation. Branch, that up to about 1971 Volvo had the lever positioned in the dash board, and most other makes of lorry still had it there.
It was still not clear how it happened, but Sgt Jayne said that the only possible explanation was that a coat or a jacket could have fallen on top of the lever, which is situated below the driver's left hand, and when he leaned over to pick it up, he also pulled up the lever, causing the brakes on the rear axle of the tractive unit to lock, and the lorry to jacknife.
He did not know why they had changed the lever to just behind the gear lever but he thought it was much safer in the dashboard.
He also recommended that the lever should have a ratchet or trigger control like the handbrake of a car to make it very difficult to pull on.
The sergeant said he had been in close touch with Volvo and its UK agent in Glasgow.
The company's Accident Investigation branch would investigate the matter once it had studied the evidence and the findings of the inquest, he added. .
Commented Coroner Philip Gill: "The danger does appear to be there and I hope that the .vidence and information we Lave obtained will be useful to he company in considering he position and application of his lever and whether it is afe."
The driver of the lorry, ienry Symington, of Cranvorth, near Thetford, Norfolk, old the inquest: "I did not ipply the parking brake as iuch. I did not grab hold of it mid pull it on.
"It is possible that I picked ip a rag to wipe the wind;creen or mirror, and in doing Ki I pulled up the lever at the same time, but I do not remember that. Nothing like this has ever happened before."
• Following the fatal crash the circumstances surrounding the accident are being investigated by the Accident Investigation Department of Volvo in Sweden, led by Kjell Hoegstrom.
Ailsa Trucks Ltd, UK concessionaires for Volvo, is not prepared to comment until it has seen the official transcript from the coroner's court.