Report on run-off-the-road accident on fv. 465, Vesterdalsvegen in Kvinesdal on 14 July 2019
Road traffic report 2020/03
July 14, 2019, during an emergency response to a tractor accident, a fire truck with a fire crew of five drove off the road and collided with a rock bump. The response team leader was thrown out of the car and died as a result of the accident. The investigation has revealed a potential for improvement in terms of the flow of information between the emergency call centers and the crew in the fire truck in connection with the emergency response. The investigation has also shown that the choice of speed in combination with conditions by the road and the vehicle contributed to the fire truck ending up outside the roadway. The Noregian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) believes that the lack of use of seat belts was decisive for the accident to be a fatal accident.
The investigation has revealed potential for improvement in technical solutions and in the communication between the emergency call centers and the response unit. Delay in notification and imprecise information, contributed to the fire crew getting the impression that the emergency response was pressed for time. This increased the risk level of the emergency response. The NSIA believes that improvements in information flow and technology will contribute to correct and relevant information to all emergency services at an early stage.
The investigation has shown that the fire truck had a speed of up to 100 km / h on its way into the left turn. The speed limit at the accident site was 60 km / h. A maneuver to the right before the turn, with a heavy vehicle at this speed, contributed to the driver losing control and driving off the road. The design of the turn also made it more difficult to maneuver the fire truck in this situation. The fire truck was exempt from the requirement for Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and was not equipped with this driver support system. The investigation has shown that it is probable that if the emergency vehicle had been equipped with ESP, it would have improved the conditions for being able to drive safely through the bend.
The investigation has also shown that the risk of emergency response driving was not adequately addressed by the Brannvesen Sør (Fire Brigade South) IKS. The NSIA emphasizes that it is the organisation's responsibility to facilitate that the emergency response can take place as safely as possible, by promoting organizational, technical and systemic support.
The fire engine was new in 2017 and had good crashworthiness. The speed of the vehicle was also sufficiently reduced before it crashed into the rock for the energy from the crash alone not to result in serious injury. There was also survival space around all the seats after the crash. The NSIA therefore believes that failure to use a seat belt was decisive to the fatal outcome of the accident.
Published 18.08.2020
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation ROAD No 2020/03T
The investigation of the run-off-the-road accident in Kvinesdal on 14 July 2019 uncovered weaknesses in technical solutions and the flow of information between the emergency communication centres and the unit responding to the emergency. Among other things, difficulties in locating the scene of the incident diverted attention away from and weakened the 110 centre’s collection and registration of information from the Emergency Medical Communication Centre (EMCC). This, in turn, gave the fire crew an inadequate understanding of the assignment and created the impression that the call-out was urgent.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) recommends that the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning initiate measures that allow the emergency communication centres to share indication of origin and primary information about incidents involving multiple emergency services.
Safety recommendation ROAD No 2020/04T
The investigation of the run-off-the-road accident in Kvinesdal on 14 July 2019 has substantiated that the chances of manoeuvring the emergency vehicle safely through the curve would probably have improved considerably had the vehicle been equipped with an electronic stability program (ESP). The fire engine was first registered in 2017, but certain types of fire engines are exempt from the ESP requirement even if they are approved as emergency vehicles by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA). The NSIA believes that ESP constitutes an important barrier against accidents in connection with emergency vehicle driving, especially in cases where the safety margins are small due to the need to arrive at the scene as soon as possible.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) recommends that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration review the regulations and practice for approving emergency vehicles without an electronic stability program (ESP) in light of the safety situation associated with emergency response driving.
Facts
| Location | Fv. 465 Omland in Kvinesdal municipality, Agder county |
| Occurrence date | 14.07.2019 |
| Accident type | Run-off-the-road accident |
| Road class | County road |
| County | Agder |
| Police Disctrict | Agder |
| Vehicle type | Lorry |
| Road region | Southern Region |
| Accident category | Ulykke m/ kjøretøy over 7500 kg |