DTT HGV Emergency Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When transporting dangerous goods (ADR), what should you do in the event of a spillage?
- Keep people away from the spillage, prevent the substance from entering drains, contact emergency services with the UN number and Tremcard details, and do not attempt to clean up unless trained (Correct answer)
- Clean it up yourself to avoid delays
- Dilute the substance with water
- Continue driving to the delivery point
Correct answer: Keep people away from the spillage, prevent the substance from entering drains, contact emergency services with the UN number and Tremcard details, and do not attempt to clean up unless trained
In a dangerous goods spillage: keep people upwind and away, do not allow the substance to enter drains or watercourses, call 999/112 and provide the UN number, proper shipping name, and Tremcard (transport emergency card) information. Only trained personnel should attempt containment.
Question 2: Your truck has broken down on a motorway. Where should you position yourself and any passengers?
- Exit the vehicle on the side away from traffic and move well behind the safety barrier or up the embankment — never stay in the vehicle or stand on the hard shoulder (Correct answer)
- Stay in the cab with seatbelts on
- Stand behind the truck to warn other drivers
- Walk along the hard shoulder to the next exit
Correct answer: Exit the vehicle on the side away from traffic and move well behind the safety barrier or up the embankment — never stay in the vehicle or stand on the hard shoulder
The hard shoulder and the vehicle itself are dangerous locations during a motorway breakdown. Exit via the side away from traffic, move behind the safety barrier, and walk well back from the vehicle. Hard shoulder collisions are a major cause of motorway deaths.
Question 3: What is the correct procedure if your truck is involved in a collision causing injury in Ireland?
- Stop immediately, call emergency services, give your details and insurance information to other parties, do not admit liability, and report to a Garda station within 24 hours (Correct answer)
- Leave the scene if your vehicle is not damaged
- Only exchange details if asked by the other party
- Wait 48 hours before reporting to Gardaí
Correct answer: Stop immediately, call emergency services, give your details and insurance information to other parties, do not admit liability, and report to a Garda station within 24 hours
Under Irish law, you must stop at the scene, render assistance, call emergency services if needed, exchange details (name, address, vehicle registration, insurance) with other parties, and report to a Garda station within 24 hours. Leaving the scene is a criminal offence.
Question 4: What should a driver do if they experience a sudden medical emergency while driving a truck?
- Safely bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as possible, switch on hazard lights, apply the parking brake, and call for medical help (Correct answer)
- Continue driving to the nearest hospital
- Increase speed to reach help faster
- Call the transport manager first
Correct answer: Safely bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as possible, switch on hazard lights, apply the parking brake, and call for medical help
If experiencing a medical emergency (chest pain, loss of vision, seizure symptoms), the priority is to stop the vehicle safely. Signal, slow down, pull over, apply the parking brake, switch on hazard lights, and call 999/112. Do not attempt to continue driving.
Question 5: What should you do if you discover your load contains a leaking container during a journey?
- Stop safely, assess the risk without touching the substance, ventilate the area if possible, contact your operator and emergency services if the substance is hazardous (Correct answer)
- Ignore it until reaching the destination
- Push the leaking container off the vehicle
- Drive faster to minimise exposure time
Correct answer: Stop safely, assess the risk without touching the substance, ventilate the area if possible, contact your operator and emergency services if the substance is hazardous
Stop safely and assess the situation. Identify the leaking substance from the documentation. If hazardous, keep people away, prevent drainage contamination, and call emergency services. If non-hazardous, contain the leak if safe and contact your operator for instructions.
Question 6: In an emergency situation on the motorway, how do you contact the emergency services using the motorway SOS phones?
- Follow the marker posts with arrows directing you to the nearest phone — they connect directly to the motorway control centre who will dispatch emergency services (Correct answer)
- Use your mobile phone only — SOS phones no longer work
- Walk to the nearest exit to find help
- Flash your headlights until someone stops
Correct answer: Follow the marker posts with arrows directing you to the nearest phone — they connect directly to the motorway control centre who will dispatch emergency services
Motorway SOS phones are positioned at regular intervals along the hard shoulder. Marker posts with arrows indicate the direction to the nearest phone. The phone connects to the motorway control centre, which can pinpoint your location and dispatch appropriate help.
DTT HGV Emergency Procedures 2
When transporting dangerous goods (ADR), what should you do in the event of a spillage?