Report on a head-on collision between a special transport, and a heavy goods vehicle and a truck on E6 at Selsverket in Sel municipality in Innlandet 20th of April 2022
Road traffic report 2023/02
The accident occurred when a bulldozer loaded on a special transport heading north on the E6 at Selsverket collided, first with a southbound heavy goods vehicle and then with a southbound lorry. The driver of the lorry in the last collision with the special transport died. The investigation has shown that the roadway was not sufficiently wide for the special transport and heavy goods vehicle to meet, and information about this was not made accessible for the carrier. The investigation has also shown that the organizational and systemic frameworks around wide special road transport are not sufficient. NSIA regards that the road users were put in a particularly difficult situation, and that more and better barriers must be established to prevent similar accidents.
On Wednesday 20 April 2022 a wide special transport heading north on the E6 Selsverket collided first with a southbound heavy goods vehicle (HGV), and then with a southbound lorry. The wide special transport which carried a bulldozer on the trailer had a permit to drive north on the E6 towards Trondheim and was accompanied by an escort vehicle. When the special transport passed Selsverket approx. at 22:35, the bulldozer collided with a southbound HGV loaded with fish and the whole left side of the HGV was torn off. The bulldozer then crashed with the front of an oncoming southbound distribution lorry, killing the driver.
The investigation has shown that the roadway was not sufficiently wide for the special transport and the fish-transport to meet without causing a collision (see figure). It was not possible for the special transport to move further to the right in its lane without hitting the curb posts along the road while driving. NSIA consider that the available road width and the utilization at the time of the first collision was a crucial factor in the course of events.
Each of the vehicles placed with the right tire in each side-line on a road similar to the one at the scene of the accident. Illustration: NSIA
The driver of the distribution lorry then had little opportunity to avoid the collision with the bulldozer, and the driver of the special transport had little to no control over the bulldozer after the first collision. The speed and available stopping distance for both the special transport and lorry after the first collision, combined with the lack of opportunities for evasive manoeuvring, led to the collision and to the death of the driver of the lorry.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) approves the transport route that must be driven and which cannot be deviated, and responsibility for carrying out the special transport is assigned to the carrier. However, information on critical meeting situations due to road width is not included in the permit and is difficult to access for the carrier. NSIA considers that the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, as an administrative body with a general obligation to provide guidance, should provide information about this. This corresponds to height restrictions for underpasses and tunnels and weight restrictions for bridge crossings.
The investigation highlights a need for additional marking and notification requirements for transports wider than 3.0 m, and especially for transports so wide that the load can cross into the oncoming lane. The current width of the special transport is critical information for oncoming road users, especially for oncoming HGV’s that have less room to manoeuvre in their own lane.
Special transport with escort vehicle involves application and approval, safety preparations and interaction routines, in addition to requiring extended use of available roads compared to normal heavy transport. This implies that special transporters and drivers should have extended training and competence compared to what is required for normal heavy transport, but the regulations for special transport mainly refer to the equipment that must be in and on the escort vehicle and the special transport. NSIA regards that wide special transport provides a basis for compulsory training, an approval scheme and/or increased competence requirements, both for drivers of escort vehicles and special transports.
The NSIA submits five safety recommendations as a result of this investigation.
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation Road No 2023/05T
The accident between a special transport, a HGV and a lorry on the E6 in Sel on 20 April 2022 occurred as a result of the roadway not being wide enough for the vehicles to meet at that stretch of road. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) is an administrative body with a general obligation to provide guidance. NSIA considers that when the NPRA permits a transport route to be driven, which cannot be diverted, information about critical meeting situations due to road width should also be included in the permit. This corresponds to height restrictions for underpasses and tunnels and weight restrictions for bridge crossings.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Public Road Administration, who gives the carriers permit and the responsibility for transporting wide loads on a given route, makes available information about road widths that may be safety-critical for such transport accessible.
Safety recommendation Road No 2023/06T
The accident between a special transport, an HGV and a lorry on the E6 in Sel on 20 April 2022 occurred as a result of the roadway not being wide enough for the vehicles to meet at that stretch of road. The safety investigation highlights a need for additional marking and notification requirements for transports wider than 3.0 m, and especially for transports that are so wide that the load can cross into the oncoming lane. The current width of the special transport is critical information for oncoming road users, especially for oncoming HGV’s that have less room to manoeuvre in their own lane.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Public Road Administration review and strengthen requirements for marking and visibility of special transports over 3.0 m wide.
Safety recommendation Road No 2023/07T
The accident between a special transport, an HGV and a lorry on the E6 in Sel on 20 April 2022 occurred as a result of the roadway not being wide enough for the vehicles to meet at that stretch of road. The investigation highlights a need for additional marking and notification requirements for wider transports than 3.0 m, and especially for transports that are so wide that the load can cross into the oncoming lane. The NSIA generally believes that blue lights indicate greater caution for oncoming traffic, and can therefore be a better barrier for special transport vehicles that are so wide that they use the opposite lane on parts of their route.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends the National Police Directorate to review and improve the police's system for assessing police escorts for special transport vehicles that are so wide that they use the opposite lane on parts of their route.
Safety recommendation Road No 2023/08T
The accident between a special transport, an HGV and a lorry on the E6 in Sel on 20 April 2022 occurred as a result of the roadway not being wide enough for the vehicles to meet at that stretch of road. Special transport with escort vehicle involves application and approval, safety preparations and interaction routines, in addition to requiring extended use of available roads than normal heavy transport. The NSIA considers that this provides grounds for mandatory training, an approval scheme and/or increased competence requirements, both for drivers of escort vehicles and special transports.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends the Norwegian Public Road Administration in consultation with the specialist transport industry, to investigate whether it is possible and appropriate to draw up a scheme for mandatory training and competence requirements for drivers of escort vehicles.
Safety recommendation Road No 2023/09T
The accident between a special transport, an HGV and a lorry on the E6 in Sel on 20 April 2022 occurred as a result of the roadway not being wide enough for the vehicles to meet at that stretch of road. Special transport with escort vehicle involves application and approval, safety preparations and interaction routines, in addition to requiring extended use of available roads than normal heavy transport. The NSIA considers that this provides grounds for mandatory training, an approval scheme and/or increased competence requirements, both for drivers of escort vehicles and special transports.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends the Norwegian Public Road Administration in consultation with the specialist transport industry, to investigate whether it is possible and appropriate to draw up a scheme for mandatory training and competence requirements for drivers of special transport.
Facts
| Location | E6, Selsverket, Innlandet |
| Occurrence date | 20.04.2022 |
| Accident type | Head-on collision |
| Road class | European road |
| County | Innlandet |
| Vehicle type | Lorry, Other, Truck and trailer |
| Type of Transportation | Freight transport |
| Accident category | Ulykke m/ kjøretøy over 7500 kg |