The importance of knowing Roll Ahead Distance

Firstly, what is Roll Ahead Distance? A question anyone in the market to buy or hire a Truck Mounted Attenuator (TMA) should be asking if they want to avoid unintentional harm.

Roll Ahead Distance is the measurement of how far forward the TMA truck will move when the crash cushion at the rear is impacted. This information is highly important when setting up a safe work zone. Because, you need to know the minimum distance to allow between the front of the truck, and the people and plant ahead, to avoid rolling into the work zone in the event of a collision.

This is especially key when you consider that the purpose of the TMA is to create a safety barrier to avoid this kind of risk! While it’s expected that any TMA truck will be pushed forward to some degree during impact, do you know how far yours is expected to travel?

Australia’s only TMA approved with Roll Ahead Distance is the Vergedro Blade TMA.

The Blade TMA is MASH crash tested and approved with a Roll Ahead Distance of 7.6m. In the real world a TMA truck will not have the luxury of a fixed axle to hold it in place and that’s why during testing the Blade TMA was not fixed to the ground. Test conditions mimicked a real life scenario so we know how the product will perform when in action.

Recommended for approval by Austroads, the Blade TMA is already approved by Australian state regulators Main Roads & VicRoads, and also approved by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

Not all approved Truck Mounted Attenuators are the same and it’s important to know what you’re getting for your money. Know what questions to ask when buying a TMA. Ask, has this TMA been live tested? Does it have a measured Roll Ahead Distance?

Click here to find out more about the Blade TMA or call 1300 071 007.