Wyoming to Implement Blow-Over Warning System
When it comes to driving a heavy truck, there are dozens of potential hazards on the mind of the driver. Watching not to collide with other vehicles nor driving off the road are more common ones, but drivers trucking through the Equality State may be surprised to know that a good number of trucks topple over due to strong winds. Wyoming hopes to change that.
Details
Such a concept seems absurd, but since the turn of the decade Wyoming has experienced a little less than one blow-over every two days. While the chances of a blow-over are highest when the truck is hauling an empty dry van, toppling while carrying freight is still a possibility, with over half of all commercial turnovers hauling some sort of freight.
Wyoming is going to use messaging that may be updated to match the current wind speeds outside, giving truckers ample warning as to when is not a good time to be driving.
“Our roadside systems use real-time wind gusts as the basis of our weight-based wind closures. Roads are not closed, for high-profile vehicles or otherwise, until adverse conditions actually occur,” Vince Garcia of the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) said in a statement regarding the rollout of this signage. “However, predictive messaging on our electronic message boards, such as ‘High Wind Forecast, Expect Crosswinds 60+’ or ‘Expect Closure to Light/High Profile Vehicles,’ might be put into place a day or so in advance.”
WYDOT will use the velocity of the wind alongside the direction of the road to determine what vehicles are at risk for blowing-over at different times.
“Unfortunately, some of the areas [where] we see the strongest crosswinds are also highways that carry important goods and services,” Garcia said. These areas of strongest winds include parts of Interstate 80, where unsuspecting drivers just passing through may just become victims. “Our goal with this updated messaging is to facilitate as much movement as possible while keeping motorists safe.”
Conclusion
Interestingly enough, the number of blow-overs from 2019 and before averaged around 85 a year, but doubled at the turn of the decade. WYDOT hopes that with this system of advanced warnings it can help reduce the number of toppled trailers to 2019 levels, if not zero. We advise that if you see one of these warning signs in the future to heed its advice and wait for the chaotic weather to become calm once again.
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