Report on run-off-the-road accident on the RV 159 road in Lørenskog on 14 May 2021

The accident that took place on the RV 159 road in Lørenskog on 14 May 2021 occurred when the left tyre on the front axle of a fully loaded heavy goods vehicle punctured at a speed of between 80 and 90 km/h. The driver of the vehicle died. The explosive puncture caused the vehicle to veer sharply to the left, and it was not possible for the driver to keep the vehicle in its own lane. The vehicle was registered as an off-road vehicle (N3G) and had been driven on different types of surfaces. The NSIA believes that the scope of damage could have been reduced by introducing technical solutions or driver support systems that enable drivers of heavy vehicles to make a controlled stop if the steering tyre on the front axle explodes.

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration raise the issues identified in this investigation with the Working Party on Automated/Autonomous and Connected Vehicles (GRVA) under UNECE WP.29 with a view to improving the safety of heavy vehicles in the event that the steering tyre on the front axle explodes.

The accident that took place on the RV 159 road in Lørenskog on 14 May 2021 occurred when the left tyre on the front axle of a fully loaded heavy goods vehicle punctured at a speed of between 80 and 90 km/h. The driver of the vehicle died. The explosive puncture caused the vehicle to veer sharply to the left, and it was not possible for the driver to keep the vehicle in its own lane. The investigation has found that pebbles had become lodged in the tyre tread all the way into the cord of the tyre, and that there were cracks in the surface of the tyre between the main grooves in the tread all the way down to the steel belt. The tyre that exploded was not designed for driving on varying construction site surfaces combined with driving on tarmac.

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the tyre industry, represented by the association of tyre importers, Dekkimportørenes Forening (DIF), inform its members and partners about the importance of being aware of the condition and properties of tyres in relation to the vehicle’s areas of utilisation, as well as the need for frequent and thorough tyre inspections. This concern especially the steering tyre on the front axle, if a vehicle is used on construction sites as well as on public roads.

The accident that took place on the RV 159 road in Lørenskog on 14 May 2021 occurred when the left tyre on the front axle of a fully loaded heavy goods vehicle punctured at a speed of between 80 and 90 km/h. The driver of the vehicle died. The explosive puncture caused the vehicle to veer sharply to the left, and it was not possible for the driver to keep the vehicle in its own lane. The investigation has found that pebbles had become lodged in the tyre tread all the way into the cord of the tyre, and that there were cracks in the surface of the tyre between the main grooves in the tread all the way down to the steel belt. The tyre that exploded was not designed for driving on varying construction site surfaces combined with driving on tarmac.

The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Truck Owners Association (NFL) and the association of heavy equipment contractors, Maskinentreprenørenes Forbund (MEF), inform their members about the importance of being aware of the condition and properties of tyres in relation to the vehicle’s areas of utilisation, as well as the need for frequent and thorough tyre inspections. This concern especially the steering tyre on the front axle, if a vehicle is used on construction sites as well as on public roads.