Bridging the safety gap
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1, NEW code for drivers with ugh loads has been issued by the Department of Transport, manning the horrific conseluences of an accident in which a lorry hits a low bridge.
The code urges drivers to rind out the height of their loads and ensure that the height does not increase luring the run.
They should fix moveable parts of engineering loads such as crane jibs, in the lowest position so that they cannot move.
When a driver is in a part of the country he does not know, he should check for low bridges and find the diversions around them.
Bridges up to 16ft 6in are marked says the code, and it recommends drivers take account of the width of their loads as well as the height.
Load lengths and gradients and road cambers could also affect the ability of a vehicle to clear a bridge safely, and the code urges drivers to approach bridges near their heights at a crawl, and pay special attention to signs for low bridges.