Bridge strikes have catastrophic consequences for drivers, fleet operators and emergency services.

A bridge strike occurs when a larger vehicle, usually a lorry, fails to clear a low hanging bridge. They have a widespread ripple effect, costing logistic companies and their drivers huge amounts of time and money, as well as causing major disruptions to local traffic and rail services.

The average Bridge Strike incurs costs of £13,000.

In this blog post, we will take a look at the preparation and solutions that will enable you or your fleet to avoid these costly incidents.

Bridge Strikes: The Statistics

• There have been more than 40,000 bridge strikes since 2000.
  
  
• 1572 bridge strikes occurred in the 2022/23 year.
  
  
• The most frequently struck bridge is located on Stonea Road in Cambridgeshire, which was hit 33 times in a 12-month period.

Causes of Bridge Strikes

According to Network Rail surveys:

• 32% of commercial drivers set off without knowing the height of their vehicle.
  
  
• Only 23% think of bridge strikes when planning their route.
  
  
•  Only 31% have a trucker’s atlas with them.

What Actions Should Fleet Operators Should Take to Prevent Bridge Strikes?

The consequences of bridge strikes for fleet operators can be enormous. Public enquiries may be initiated, resulting in negative PR, as well as extensive legal fees. Drivers who collide with bridges are usually suspended, causing repercussions for both driver and employer. Regardless of legal action, significant operational downtime is a guarantee.

In order to avoid bridge strikes, the first step fleet operators must take is to establish company policies.

Policies should include:

• Route planning that takes bridge heights into account.
  
  
• Measuring and recording vehicle height as part of the drivers daily walkaround checks.
  
  
• Training for new drivers as well as refreshers for current drivers.
  
  
• Companies should ensure drivers are equipped with a copy of the Truckers’ Atlas.
  
  
• Providing drivers with appropriate technology and equipment.

 
What should Bridge Strike training consist of?

Drivers should understand the dangers and implications of bridge strikes for themselves, their careers, and for other road/rail users. Training should encompass skills in route planning and awareness of height restrictions.

The department for transport provides four guides:

• Transport managers guide
  
  
• Professional drivers of passenger vehicles guide
  
  
• Guide for passenger vehicle operational staff
  
  
• Professional drivers’ guide

Find these guides here.

Training and driver awareness establishes a strong foundation for avoiding bridge strikes, but does not cover human error, which is inevitable even in highly experienced drivers. As a major issue with no one true solution, Bridge Strikes require the implementation of a multifaceted approach. Fleet managers and drivers can avoid collisions through a combination of awareness, training and technology. Whilst this requires investment, mitigating risk through these combined efforts can have huge long-term benefits.

Low bridge detection systems are a major advance in averting bridge strikes. Such systems use a reliable database to log and record low bridges within the UK and Ireland, providing advance warning to route planners and drivers.

Parksafe

The Parksafe award winning Low Bridge Detection System detects up to 3,764 upcoming low bridges within the United Kingdom and Ireland, and is available in a quickly installed plug and go format, or can be connected to the Parksafe On Demand platform which provides instant, remote alerts and On Demand access to your entire fleet of vehicles 24/7.