Over Height

Not all over-height collisions occur with loaded vehicles. In a time when the Holmes 750 was the mainstay of the heavy-duty fleet, raising the booms was required to tow casualties such as reefer trailers and drill rigs.

I’m familiar with a case where one of these odd casualties was towed behind a 750 and it made it safely to its destination. But, once the delivery was made, the operator didn’t lower the booms. When he encountered a low clearance railroad bridge, an impact resulted in catastrophic damage to the booms and supporting cables. The operator had been focused on getting the tow job done safely and once delivered, he let down his guard but not his booms.

You may think this doesn’t matter anymore because the mechanical units aren’t as prevalent as they once were. BUT, I beg to differ. Today’s rotator wreckers are massive pieces of equipment. The boom height can be difficult to judge while standing at the rear of the truck.

There have been a number of times that I’ve backed one of my rotators inside it’s bay and noticed just how close the head of the boom is to the 14’ tall upper door header. Imagine the devastating damage that could be caused if a 13 foot tall boom comes into contact with a 12’ tall bridge. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage could occur. So, become familiar with the height of your wrecker with the boom at various angles so you’ll know what your height clearance is at all times.

Some of the costliest collisions that are occurring today are when the load that’s being carried or the vehicle itself strikes a bridge. These costs aren’t just measured in dollars to repair the vehicle that caused the damage. They include repair or replacement cost to what was hit. Also, consider the cost for impacting traffic. A collision with an interstate bridge can result in closure of a highway for weeks or months! Imagine the congestion after a minor fender bender that is cleared up in 30-60 minutes on a busy interstate. Now multiply those over weeks. Slowing the delivery of interstate commerce is measured in billions of dollars.

What about human cost? Other motorists could be directly impacted when an over height collision occurs. A bridge strike recently cost a motorist her life when falling debris, a result of an excavator boom striking a bridge, landed in her automobile, killing her.

Towing companies are increasingly expanding into the specialized transport market. Transporting items such as forklifts, excavators, man lifts and backhoes on carriers and trailers is becoming routine in today’s tow company operations. Operators need to be aware of the dangers they face and the consequences of a collision when transporting tall items.

The maximum height for a vehicle on US roads is going to vary by region. Typically, the maximum height east of the Mississippi River is 13’6”. But that doesn’t mean every route is passable at this height. Knowing your route and the clearances on that route is the responsibility of the operator. More importantly is the basic knowledge of HOW TALL IS THE VEHICLE AND ITS LOAD!

There’s an expression that says, “ignorance is bliss.” Sometimes we try to convince ourselves that if we don’t know how tall the vehicle is, we won’t have a problem, or the consequences won’t apply. Gambling with a blind hand is simply negligence in the eyes of the law. There’s no excuse for that.

This isn’t just an issue with being 13.5 or taller. Low clearance obstructions include parking structures, airports, underpasses, and tunnels and can have height clearances as low as ten feet, some even less. Imagine driving into a parking garage in a carefree manner to load a disabled vehicle and being jolted into reality when the lightbar impacts a pre-cast concrete roof beam.

Think about the whiplash you’d feel if the box truck you’re towing strikes the roof of a 12’ tall tunnel entrance.

Consider the cost to repairing a concrete mixer after its loading chute and drum strikes an obstacle. And place yourself in the shoes of someone responsible for causing the death of an innocent motorist because you failed to be accountable for the height of your load and the route you chose to travel.