New VT safety system applies handbrake if driver forgets
Vehicle safety specialist Vision Techniques has developed a new safety system that automatically applies the vehicle handbrake if a driver forgets, which it says will remove the risk of vehicle runaway.
According to the firm, technical manager Nigel Armstrong recognised the need for a failsafe system following the rise in rollaway accidents affecting waste, construction and freight vehicles. Earlier this year he began developing a system designed to prevent runaway accidents for Vision Techniques’ customers.
“What we’ve done is create something unique to the waste industry but also an essential system that will take away the risk of rolling accidents,” he said.
The idea behind VT BrakeSafe is simple, says the firm: if a driver attempts to leave the vehicle when the handbrake is not applied, the failsafe automatically applies the brake and warns the driver audibly.
The company claims that, although products were available which would warn a driver of a forgotten handbrake, there were no systems which applied the brake automatically until now.
“We’re very proud to be the only provider of a system that will stop a vehicle automatically without driver interaction, essentially taking away the risk of unexpected movement,” said Nigel Armstrong.
The system has already been installed onto waste vehicles at Craven District Council in Skipton, North Yorkshire. The council’s fleet manager Steve Parkinson said: “It’s a simple solution to a potentially devastating problem. Having a failsafe like this on a vehicle is a health and safety neccessity. We’re really happy VT came to us first with this system.”
As the handbrake system has been developed in-house by Vision Techniques’ own technical team, VT BrakeSafe will integrate with other safety products such as recording or telematic systems to provide data and statistics to fleet managers.
The company reports that VT BrakeSafe has been successful throughout testing with Craven Council, and that demand for the system has been high after demonstrating the safety product to visitors at this year’s RWM event.
Nigel added: “We are in the process of installing trials with some of our biggest customers and we’re proud to bring new innovation to our customers, once again leading the way in vehicle safety.”
Vision Techniques’ other vehicle safety systems include VT TurnAware, a cyclist detection system which was recently shortlisted for a CIWM award in vehicle and plant innovation.
