Monday, January 14, 2019

Preventing Rollaways and Runaways



In Fiscal Year 2018, the South Florida District experienced five rollaway/ runaway vehicle accidents. This fiscal year (as of October 1, 2018), the district already has experienced one rollaway vehicle accident.


A rollaway accident occurs when the engine is off, and the driver fails to set the parking brake and/or fails put the vehicle in park. A runaway accident occurs when the engine is left on, and the driver fails to set the parking brake and/or fails put the vehicle in park.

Rollaway and runaway accidents are extremely dangerous, since the vehicle is out of control and can easily strike a child, a pedestrian, another vehicle, or a fixed object. It is your responsibility to ensure that rollaway/runaway accidents do not happen.

Remember to keep your keys with you at all times. Doing so demonstrates that two of the four steps to properly parking your vehicle have been accomplished. Please review the below steps to properly park a vehicle:

Step 1. Set the handbrake
When setting the handbrake, be sure to depress the brake pedal first. Then set the handbrake. Setting the handbrake without depressing the brake pedal will not hold the vehicle if you are on a hill or if the engine is running.

Step 2. Put your gear selector in park
If you are driving a manual transmission vehicle, place the gear selector in low/first or reverse.

Step 3. Curb your wheels
Remember, when parking your vehicle on a downhill slope with a curb, turn your wheels “into” the curb. When parking uphill with a curb, turn your wheel “out” from the curb.  If there is no curb, turn your wheels to the side of the road you are parking on. If you are parking on the right side, turn your wheel to the right. If you are on the left side of the street, turn the wheel to the left.

Step 4. Shut the engine off and remove the key
Regardless of how long you will be out of the vehicle, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE!

To properly secure the parking brake on most delivery vehicles, it is imperative the foot operated brake pedal be fully depressed prior to the hand brake being set. Setting the hand brake without first fully depressing the foot pedal does not necessarily make the vehicle secure.

Remember that safety is a personal choice you make each day. Rollaway and runaway accidents can be prevented.

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