The dangers of towing

[davo69 and the Nurse]

Found this article in the Courier Mail tonight...


Boy killed after being hit in the head with a steel hook
Paul Donoughue From: The Courier-Mail December 13, 2010 12:38AM

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has died after he was struck in the head by a steel towing hook at Hervey Bay on Sunday.
A Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said the boy was with a group of people towing a car in bushland about 15km outside of Hervey Bay when the cable came loose, sending the hook into his head.

It is understood he was knocked unconscious and suffered serious head injuries.

Ambulance crews headed on foot into bush near Walligan just before 7.30pm to reach the boy, though flooding in the area made reaching him difficult.

Police have confirmed the boy, a local from the area, later died from his injuries.



Might be a timely warning to check your towing hitches, and recovery points to make sure they are in working order.

the Nurse

[cucinadio]

Found this article in the Courier Mail tonight...


Boy killed after being hit in the head with a steel hook
Paul Donoughue From: The Courier-Mail December 13, 2010 12:38AM

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy has died after he was struck in the head by a steel towing hook at Hervey Bay on Sunday.
A Department of Community Safety spokeswoman said the boy was with a group of people towing a car in bushland about 15km outside of Hervey Bay when the cable came loose, sending the hook into his head.

It is understood he was knocked unconscious and suffered serious head injuries.

Ambulance crews headed on foot into bush near Walligan just before 7.30pm to reach the boy, though flooding in the area made reaching him difficult.

Police have confirmed the boy, a local from the area, later died from his injuries.



Might be a timely warning to check your towing hitches, and recovery points to make sure they are in working order.

the Nurse

you know im in hervey bay and the place is so small you would think we would have heard about this ??.... but belive it or not ......."noep, nothing!!!"...

[hairymick]

Its in the Chonicle mate.

http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2010/12/13/boy-dies-during-towing-accident/

Poor little bugger was my grand-daughter's best friend.

[dazzler]

Wonder if it was one of the tie down hooks that are often left on new commercial vehicles and not designed for anything but that.  Very sad.

[2 Brutal]

As the crow flies it was about 5km from my place, my mate was involved with the police rescue but they couldn't reach him.
We had a good 5-6" of rain yesty, I just can't understand what they were doing in the area, it is a swamp when it rains and impassable. I have been through that area many times and even a month after heavy rain it is impassable in places. It is wallum swamp, very very boggy ground.

[andrewk4]

I know the boy and his family well. During the winching of a bogged vehicle, the bolt on the D shackle broke, sending the winch back into the lead car and hitting the passenger in the back seat.  A terrible tragedy, our prayers are with the family.

PLease ensure your D shackles are rated for the right capacity.

[D4D]

WOW that makes me sick in the stomach just thinking about it, my condolences to the family.

[britts]

Condolances to the family & all involved, but a timely reminder at this time of year to take care in recovery situations.

[craigtempo]

WOW that makes me sick in the stomach just thinking about it, my condolences to the family.

agreed ... very very sad.

craig

[MrWilson]

A tragedy & a sad loss of someone so young.

[krisandkev]

So very sad.    You would think that sitting in the vehicle would have been the right place to be.  You read all of the warnings but until you see or hear the terrible results, you just do not understand the built up power in those straps and cables, and the associated fittings.  It will defiantly make me be more careful.  Kevin

[kranky al]

I know the boy and his family well. During the winching of a bogged vehicle, the bolt on the D shackle broke, sending the winch back into the lead car and hitting the passenger in the back seat.  A terrible tragedy, our prayers are with the family.

PLease ensure your D shackles are rated for the right capacity.

Bow shackles

[D4D]

This was in today's Westprint email

Snatch Straps   
•    I thought you might be interested in this coroners report about a fatality in Tasmania involving the use of a snatch strap. The report is in the public domain. Rob   
This is a lengthy article but very important. Please read.
I have summarised the report below and have left out most of the names and places and abbreviated the vehicles involved to Toyota ute and Landcruiser for easier reading. If you would like a full copy of the report as sent to me, please send me an email info@westprint.com.au and I will forward the full document to you.   
I, (the Coroner), Find That Mr Stein died on or about the 3 October 2009, aged 18 years as a result of a Traumatic Head Injury. 
Circumstances Surrounding the Death:
... the Toyota ute became bogged on a side track. A Landcruiser manoeuvred into position with the intention of towing the ute free. The ute had sunk into the mud up to its axle and was firmly bogged. A snatch strap was attached to the towing assembly of the ute; the other end was connected to an attachment point on the front of the Landcruiser. Whilst the recovery equipment was attached a number of the occupants alighted from the vehicle. Mr Stein and others remained in the Landcruiser. There was only one occupant in the bogged ute. Lighting was non-existent and illumination was obtained by using torches and the vehicle's headlights to aid in connecting the snatch strap. Having connected the strap, the Landcruiser reversed away from the ute. During this process part of the towing assembly on the ute has broken free and smashed through the front windscreen of the Landcruiser striking Mr Stein before leaving the vehicle and landing some 90 metres behind it. The area has little or no mobile phone coverage. Team members unsuccessfully performed CPR. Both vehicles involved were examined by Transport Inspectors and were found to be unroadworthy. However, the defects identified in both vehicles would not have contributed to the death.
The towing assembly that was fitted to the ute was inspected and found to be corroded.
The snatch strap was examined and showed fair wear and tear.
 
Tasmania Police found that:
•         The snatch strap was attached to the tow ball. Snatch strap user's guidelines and current accredited 4WD training courses all advise that the snatch strap should never be attached to the towing ball in this type of recovery operation.
•         During recovery operations using a snatch strap, all bystanders (other than the drivers' of the two vehicles involved in the recovery) should be at a safe distance (1.5 times the outstretched Recovery Strap length) to the side of the recovery operation and NEVER in the line of the recovery.
•         There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.
 
Comments & Recommendations:
After reviewing the evidence I am satisfied that the fatal injuries suffered by Mr Stein can be directly attributed to the failure of the towing assembly. The towing assembly had deteriorated over time affecting its structural strength. I also note that there was some evidence of poor quality welding on the ball coupling. It is also clear from the evidence before me that both vehicle owners were not aware of the dangers of attaching snatch straps to tow balls when completing recovery operations.
Having considered all the material before me I recommend that the motoring public, particularly those using 4WD vehicles be made aware and reminded of the dangers of using snatch straps in recovery operations. It is important to correctly attach (following the manufacturers recommendations) the recovery strap to a motor vehicle. A standard tow ball or vehicle tie-down point is not designed for this purpose and may result in the strap or a vehicle component detaching from a motor vehicle and striking and seriously injuring or killing a person. Only attach the strap to a vehicle recovery point or device that is suitably rated for use with the strap.
Before I conclude this matter, I wish to convey my sincere condolences to the family of the deceased. This matter is now concluded. Tuesday, 28 September 2010 at Burnie in the state of Tasmania . Donald John Jones. CORONER