A truck escape ramp, also known as a runaway truck lane, escape lane, emergency escape ramp, or truck arrester bed, is a traffic appliance that enables vehicles that are having braking problems to stop safely.
On social media, motorists suggested that truck escape ramps would be very vital for many black spots that regularly claim lives in Kenya such as Sachangwan, Kinungi and Salgaa at around A.D.C. Farm Section.
Truck escape ramps are very common in China and other Western countries, and they have been used to avert accidents at blind corners.
"A runaway truck ramp, emergency escape ramp or truck arrester bed should be installed on the newly built expressway. It will be of great inclusion in steps of safety for speeding trucks in the near future," Sawan Nanjappa suggested.
A truck escape ramp is typically a long, sand-or-gravel-filled lane connected to a steep downhill-grade section of a main road, and is designed to accommodate large trucks or buses.
It allows a moving vehicle's kinetic energy to be dissipated gradually in a controlled and relatively harmless way, helping the operator stop it safely.
Runaway truck ramps are typically located on steep, sustained grades, as in mountainous areas. Long descending grades can allow high vehicle speeds to be reached, and truck brakes can overheat and fail through extensive use.
The ramps are often built before a critical change in the radius of curvature of the road, or before a place that may require the vehicle to stop, such as before an intersection in a populated area. The placement criteria can vary from one region/country to another.
There are two main types of truck escape ramps: gravity ramps and aggregate arrestor bed ramps. Gravity ramps are built with an upgrade to use the forces of gravity to slow a runaway vehicle.
Aggregate arrestor bed ramps use special-sized rock in a gravel bed to slow a runaway vehicle. These ramps may have either an upward or downward grade.
Truck escape ramps are an important safety feature that can help to prevent runaway truck accidents. They are a last resort for drivers who are experiencing braking problems, and they can help to save lives.
How to Use Truck Escape Ramp
Drivers experiencing braking problems are advised to avoid panicking, and instead stay calm and focus on driving the vehicle safely to the escape ramp.
Motorists who are taking a ramp lane should always signal their intention to use the escape ramp and slow down as much as possible before entering the ramp.
"Do not brake hard when entering the ramp, as this could cause the vehicle to skid. Steer the vehicle into the center of the ramp and allow it to slow down gradually," Civil Engineers Association advised.
The motorists are also advised not to attempt to drive off the ramp until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. If motorists use a truck escape ramp correctly, it can help them to stop their vehicle safely and prevent an accident.
According to information published on the website of the Kenya Police Service, Kenya has around 73 blackspots which have claimed thousands of lives over the years.
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) report showed that there were a total of 4,432 road user deaths in Kenya between January 1 and December 13, 2022. This represented a 3.77 per cent increase from the 4,271 road user deaths reported in 2021.
The report also showed that some 9,315 people were seriously injured while 6,691 were slightly injured in road accidents in 2022.
The months of January and July had the highest number of fatalities, with 433 and 487 deaths respectively. Between December 1 and 13, NTSA recorded 184 road user deaths.
The report attributed the increase in road accidents to a number of factors, including speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving, and poor road infrastructure.
NTSA called on motorists to be more cautious on the roads and to obey traffic rules and regulations. The authority also noted that it will continue to crack down on reckless drivers.
