A 54-year-old Sydney man remains in a serious but stable condition, after being hit by a truck on the F3 Freeway yesterday.Contrary to initial police reports, the man was not changing a tyre, but standing in the breakdown lane, when he was struck.Police are still looking for the truck’s driver. The truck is believed to have been a small white table top with a tray, mesh caging and yellow number plates.
Meanwhile, a motoring advocate has called for hazard warning triangles and safety vests to be mandatory in all cars. He says the items provide affordable life insurance, and should be used by every driver whose vehicle breaks down on a busy road.
text will be replaced
NSW (Australia), like Continental Europe, should set about mandating for ‘new-market’ vehicle entries; cars, vans & 4WD categories, that each be supplied with the following two items as ’standard equipment’:-
A) A “Hazard-Warning Triangle” to Euro/United Nations Specification “UNECE 27R” in Transport. On freeway class roads, they are placed 150-200m *before* the scene they seek to protect. Typical retail cost in AUS right now $20 – 70 for a Compliant product.
B) “High-Visibility Safety Vests” to EN471 Specification. These are fluroescent for daytime use, and bear wide, night reflecting bands for night use, and when under poor visibility conditions. Typical retail cost in AUS right now $4.50-16.
The hazard-warning triangle and safety vests are in *all* registered road going vehicles in EU and each item is being adopted into the “UN Convention on Road Traffic”. The vests are usually stored behind the driver seat, or in under seat pockets. The triangle is usually stored in the boot area.
Road law then specifies when and how the items are to be used.
LINKS REGARDING THE TWO ITEMS FOR YOUR PERUSAL:-
WA Tuition on the matter. (Similar is taught in all AUS jurisdiction driver handbooks, “The NSW Road Users’ Handbook” and “Tasmanian Road Rules” each contain a picture of the EU/UN warning triangle;- to impart to readers the ‘quality’ of product to be sought):
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/lic_drivesafe_part4.pdf
French Government re each item:-
http://www.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=184
3M UK regarding safety vests:-
http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Scotch-Lite/Home/HiVis_Lbl/HiVis_Importance/
Whilst nothing is failsafe, these items are pretty cheap life insurance.
ITEM SOURCING:-
SAFETY VESTS should bear inside the collar a label bearing “EN471” Compliance marking, an alternative is AS1906. See auto-parts retailers for these, or Hot Dollar shops which have them from $4.95-7.95.
HAZARD-WARNING TRIANGLE (For your safety in relation to cars, vans and 4WD’s, choose only that which complies *precisely* to Euro/UN Specification, that is; ‘Regulation 27’ in Transport>> ‘UNECE 27R’).
See your local Auto-Parts Retailer for these two items. Two EU/UN triangle makes currently on the AUS market;
1) HELLA Australia, “Part No 2901” (Made by Hella Finland). Plastic storage case included. It’s ‘spidery leg’ design ensures stability against high wind loads.
http://db.hella.com.au/cgi-bin/catalogue.pl?flcmd=preview&flmaint=151
2) PRO-KIT, “Item No RG9212”. Retails at typically $21. Plastic storage case included, a solid fold-out base design.
Most all EU made vehicles will have a warning triangle as standard supply, or they will be available through their respective dealer spare parts offices.
LEXUS, usually standard, see your dealer spare parts branch for replacement.
FORD AUSTRALIA dealers – offer as an accessory the Hella unit above; Part No. “A92SX 19F524AA”. The plastic storage case is stamped “Ford Motor Co”.
MITSUBISHI AUSTRALIA dealers – also offer the Hella unit above, Part No. “MZ312957”. It’s plastic storage case is stamped “Mitsubishi Motor Corp” and has velcro attached – so the unit won’t slide about carpet.
SUMMARY
In my time attending vehicle break-downs and sadly even road crashes over the years, I’ve used many ‘warning devices’, from LED items that promise much, but deliver little; they blow over or out of alignment, batteries corrode and go flat, to traffic cones (impractical for passenger cars), to non-compliant warning triangles that are by sheer poor design dangerous to the user and other traffic; they blow away or are rendered useless by blowing out-of-alignment, or by falling over, or the reflectors are of low quality for night use. This is the reason why this advocate only supports the EU/UN hazard-warning triangle and safety vest Specification, and is why each item is being adopted into a new UN Road Traffic Convention.
NOTE
I have NO relationship whatsoever with any of the brands mentioned, and gain no income whatsoever by my advocacy of them. This is just a small part of my personal efforts, usually aimed at governments, political parties, and transport agencies, at getting a better deal for Australian Road users in standardised vehicle equipment requirement. I am simply seeking that – which is granted as standard supply in overseas markets, besides – I tire of needless injury and death!!
Many thanks to NBN and MSN, and in particular to Jane Goldsmith and crew, for making a good effort at improving the lot of road safety here in Australia.
Sincerely,
Mr Jeremy H. Pritchard
aka – Keepleft, MotAdv-NSW
mot.adv@internode.on.net
Further to the above ‘warning triangle’ suppliers (Fully item ‘A’ Compliant), a recent addition has come to notice:-
At BUNNINGS stores nationwide and at a retail cost of $9.90, (CODE- 14 580), makes this unit the cheapest on the AUS market that I know of.
(See Bunnings automotive/traffic site workgear section).
Unit fits tight stowage situations, has spidery legs for stability, and folds into a small plastic case that has placement instruction stamped as required.
Dimension laid flat:- L43cm X W6cm X H4cm.
Similar crash example, QLD, August 20:-
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/852036/couple-killed-while-helping-daughter