Safety & service
Preventing Delivery Vehicle Rollaways on Apparently Flat Ground
A truck does not need a steep hill to become a rollaway hazard. Pavement that looks flat can have a slight slope for drainage, and a vehicle that was not properly secured may begin moving after the driver steps away. Treat every delivery stop as a parking operation that requires verification. The surface’s appearance, the length of the stop, and the distance to the front door do not remove that responsibility.
Separate stopping from securing the vehicle
Holding the service brake stops the truck while the driver remains at the controls. Leaving it requires the vehicle’s complete parking procedure. For an automatic transmission equipped with Park, that includes selecting Park and applying the parking brake in the sequence specified by the manufacturer. Vehicles with other transmissions or brake systems require their own approved procedure; some commercial transmissions have no Park position.
Delivery operators such as the U.S. Postal Service explicitly include both the parking brake and transmission selection in rollaway prevention guidance. 1 The practical lesson is to avoid relying on a single action or an assumption. Confirm the control positions and indicators, and verify that the truck remains stationary before leaving the driving position, following the vehicle’s training and instructions.
Make the routine resistant to interruption
A common interruption is a customer approaching as the truck stops. Another is a scanner notification that draws attention toward the next package. Finish securing the vehicle before turning to either task. If interrupted midway, deliberately restart the checks rather than trying to remember which steps were completed. Repetition makes this easier to do under ordinary route pressure.
Follow the required engine shutdown and key-control procedure, and any applicable wheel-positioning or chocking instructions for the location and vehicle. A wheel chock is additional protection where required or directed; it does not replace an effective parking brake. Avoid parking where ice, loose material, or an unsuitable grade makes the vehicle difficult to secure safely. Choose another position when necessary.
Treat uncertain brake performance as a defect
An unusual lever movement, a warning indicator, or movement during the approved parking-brake check needs attention before the route continues. Federal commercial vehicle regulations establish parking-brake requirements for covered vehicles, including the ability to hold the vehicle under specified loading and road conditions. 2 A driver should not compensate for a questionable brake by choosing spaces that merely look level.
Keep the truck controlled, report the problem, and follow instructions for removing an unsafe vehicle from service. Do not conduct an improvised test on a slope or release controls to see how far it rolls. Maintenance must address the defect using the proper procedure. Record exactly what happened so the technician can investigate the relevant system.
Protect people if the vehicle begins moving
Never place yourself in the path of a rolling vehicle, try to stop it with your body, or chase it and attempt to climb aboard. USPS has warned that drivers pursuing uncontrolled vehicles have fallen beneath their wheels. 1 Move clear, warn nearby people if you can do so safely, and call emergency services when someone is endangered or injured.
For a FedEx contractor in Pittsburgh such as Sigma Continental, the routine must work at residential and business stops alike. Imagine a quick stop beside an apparently level loading entrance: a complete parking routine still takes priority over the waiting package recipient. The delivery is only under control when the truck stays where it was parked. That verification belongs at every stop, including the familiar ones that feel least demanding.
Sources and further reading
Review current guidance and follow the training and procedures provided for your role.
- Original Safety Articles collection
- United States Postal Service — Safe Driving and Preventing Roll Away Accidents
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 49 CFR 393.41 Parking Brake System
