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| Safe Reverse Sonar |
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Capt Mike
Candow
B Tpt O
CFB Borden |
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Without doubt, every vehicle fleet
manager, supervisor, or section commander is constantly concerned with
“Savings and Safety.” Who wouldn’t be with the budget reductions,
clawbacks, and the “more with less” strategies of the past few years? The
Base Transport Section at CFB Borden is certainly no exception –
savings and safety are key concerns here, given a fleet size of almost
1,000 vehicles, 100 professional drivers, and thousands of casual
drivers.
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| Safe Reverse Sonar
sensors are visible in this vehicle bumper. Installation is
simple and inexpensive. | |
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Historically, backing
accidents have been a constant thorn in our collective side, whether it
involved privately owned or Crown-owned vehicles. A catalyst in any
vehicle accident, but especially when backing, is complacency or the idea
“I drive my car, ergo, I can drive any car.” The truth however, is
strikingly different. CFB Borden’s past experience reflects that the
majority of backing accidents involved casual drivers operating staff
cars, vans, and pick-up trucks. Last year, it appeared that costs were
escalating and the potential for a serious accident was constantly in the
forefront of the mind of all Base Transport personnel. |
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| This driver’s aid emits
a beeping sound, warning of the presence of a person or an
object behind a backing vehicle. The beeping frequency
increases as the closing distance
diminishes. | |
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Fortunately, a
relatively new product is now available for commercial pattern vehicles
that warns of obstacles while reversing. The “Safe Reverse Sonar” utilizes
the principle of sonar and is an ultrasonic measuring and warning system
for most utility cars and vans. It provides the driver with an audible
warning of any obstacle, unlike the audible warning devices currently used
that warn the obstacle to get out of the way (fairly unlikely if the
obstacle is a pole or another car). The device is wired into the vehicle’s
back-up light circuit and is automatically powered and activated
ONLY when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. If there is any
object behind the vehicle, the sensors detect the object and bounce
signals to the control unit, which then activates the three-stage beeper.
The beeper, which is intermittent at a distance of 120 cm, becomes
increasingly continuous the closer the vehicle gets to the object until,
at a distance of 50 cm, the sound becomes a steady tone. Although the
trial is ongoing and conclusive results of safety improvements and savings
are not yet available, we have some positive indicators. Specifically,
backing accidents at CFB Borden have decreased from 52 accidents in 1999
to just two accidents in 2000 to date. At an average installation cost of
$250, the safe reverse sonar kits have already more than paid for
themselves. With the increasing responsibilities and emphasis on due
diligence within the CF/DND, this is one tool that is helping Base
Transport personnel to relax – slightly – and one which appears
to offer real promise.
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