Escape ramps for vehicles whose brakes fail on highways save lives

According to the compilation made by the AA correspondent from the data of the General Directorate of Highways of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, escape ramps are used in long-distance, high-downhill sections of the highways (motorways, state roads, provincial roads) that are under the responsibility of the General Directorate and where heavy load transportation is intense.

This application prevents accidents with loss of life and property by ensuring that heavy vehicles that lose brake control due to reasons such as not making the appropriate gear change at the right time and place, overloading, mechanical failures, improper use of the brake system, are isolated from the traffic corridor and stopped in a controlled manner.

Not only tractors and trucks, but also all vehicles that have lost the ability to slow down or brake on a downhill slope can benefit from escape ramps.

When drivers realize that there is a problem with the braking system in their vehicles, they can use the escape ramp for the safety of both their own vehicles and surrounding vehicles before the system is completely disabled.

What should be done when using the ramp?

When using an escape ramp in cases where the vehicle's brake system is not working or it is difficult to stop the vehicle, it is important to enter the sandbox as centrally as possible on the road.

When stopped at the escape ramp, you need to get out of the vehicle, wait in a safe place, and give information by calling 112 and 159.

The vehicle's maintenance must be carried out regularly and on time, and the brake system of the vehicle must be checked at regular intervals on slopes to see if it is working.

If there is a high descent slope on the route used, it is important to pay attention to loading in accordance with the load limit (carrying limit) and technical specifications of the vehicle.

In order to prevent the vehicle's braking system from becoming disabled, it is recommended to choose low gears and low speeds on downhill slopes.

Emergency escape ramp

Emergency escape ramps are known as structures designed to prevent accidents with loss of life and property that may occur due to brake failures caused by geometric conditions in heavy vehicles, on highways where heavy transportation is intense, along long-distance roads and on high-slope highway sections, and to isolate heavy vehicles that have lost brake control by leaving the traffic corridor and stopping the vehicle in a controlled manner.

The vehicle catcher barrier, which is an emergency escape system that has started to be used in various countries in recent years, uses wheel friction and gravitational acceleration to stop the vehicle. With the system, the vehicle that loses brake control is stopped by the braking mechanism attached to the ropes by holding it with a cage net attached to the edges with a rope.

In Türkiye, these ramps are located in Manisa-İzmir State Highway, Muğla-Fethiye State Highway, Antalya-Akseki-Konya State Highway (2), Ankara-Kırıkkale State Highway, Tarsus-Pozantı Highway (2), Pozantı-Tarsus Highway (2), Kayseri-Develi Provincial Highway, Refahiye-Erzincan State Highway and Mardin.