§ 31. Mr. Onslowasked the Minister of Transport how many road accidents were caused, in each of the past five years, by jackknifing of articulated vehicles; what casualties resulted; and what estimate she has formed of the total financial losses involved.
§ Mr. John MorrisThis information is not available. But sample studies have shown that in about 10 per cent. of the injury accidents involving articulated vehicles, jackknifing occurred before the accident. This does not of course mean that jackknifing was necessarily a cause of these accidents.
§ Mr. OnslowIs not this still a very dangerous phenomenon? Will the Minister say what action he has taken to stimulate the fitting of anti-jacknifing devices?
§ Mr. MorrisWell, the action which we have taken is, first, we have revised the accident form to discover new information. Secondly, the key to the problem is to try to find means of stopping It. As regards new vehicles, a code of practice has been agreed with the manufacturers in order to get a better balance of braking effort between the two axles. As regards fitting particular devices to prevent wheel lock, or to have automatic adjustment of the braking effort, trials are being carried out in order to discover what is the best kind of device. But this is not an easy matter.