Keep safe when you’re hooking up
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WITH REFERENCE to “Straying ND trailer causes M2 tailback” (CM 18 August), this happened to me once – and I will never forget the lesson I learned. After that incident, when I’m ‘hooking up’ I always check (using torch light if needed) that the kingpin locking bar has encapsulated the kingpin.
The fact that the release bar is locked in and the safety hook is in place is not a guarantee, as I found out, that the trailer is attached and, yes, I did shunt back and forth. Commercial Motor, some 15 years ago, highlighted this potential problem that may occur in certain situations. My heavy fridge trailer slipped off (by what may be called good luck) in the transport yard as I was making a tight ‘jack knife’ slow-speed manoeuvre before driving on to the public highway. The locking bar handle was retracted and the safety clip in place – I was shocked and embarrassed to say the least.
I think lots of tractor units now have warning systems to let the driver know that the kingpin is not held by the ifth wheel jaws and locked in.
This also prevents the need for the driver to be put at risk when crouching under the vehicle in order to carry out this particular safety check. Another check I advise when hooking up is to make sure the kingpin on the trailer is not lopping about... but that’s another story.
Christopher via Roadtransport.com’s online comments