Cedric Stephens | Tips for traversing Spur Tree Hill safely

The Spur Tree Hill main road links the southern parishes of Manchester and St Elizabeth. Two mountains dominate the landscape of Spur Tree Village: May Day to the east and Don Figuerero to the west.

According to satellite data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Spur Tree is 801 metres (2,628 feet) above sea level. The elevation of Gutters, St Elizabeth, the nearest community to the west of Spur Tree, is 396 metres or 1,300 feet below Spur Tree. The distance between these points is 12.9 kilometres (eight miles) or about 20 minutes driving time.

The Jamaica Observer November 14 edition has an intriguing headline about this rural part of the island: ‘Spur Tree Again: Woman Injured In Crash-Prone Main Road’. Why were the editors casting blame on an inanimate object for the accident? The first paragraph of the report added to my confusion: “A resident here has agreed with road safety experts that inexperienced drivers and overweight and defective vehicles are among the main causes for accidents on the crash-prone Spur Tree Hill main road in Manchester.”

The article did not contain any information saying that the truck that recently destroyed a Suzuki Grand Vitara on that notorious road, and then overturned on adjacent premises, was being driven by an inexperienced driver, carrying goods or carrying a load more than its rated capacity. Non-compliance with safety regulations was not discussed.

The ‘road safety experts’ in the article listed many causes for Spur Tree Hill main road crashes:

Expert No 1: insufficiently trained drivers; drivers engaging low gear too late to slow their vehicles; drivers being too dependent on using their vehicles’ brakes to reduce downhill speed; drivers’ lack of caution while going downhill; and the failure of drivers travelling uphill to recognise risks posed by vehicles travelling downhill especially around deep bends.

Expert No 2: overladen trucks were mainly to blame; drivers of overloaded vehicles found it harder to control the speed of their vehicles while travelling downhill; drivers’ failure to obey road signs to engage low gears; driver inexperience; and greed.

Journalism involves gathering, assessing, creating and presenting news and information. This article presented a poor case for journalism on a subject that was the country’s 11th leading cause of death, resulted in 270 deaths this year, and causes over 10,000 injuries each year. Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently said we “need to move with urgency … to drive public education” and “improve road safety management and governance”.

Hilly roads criss-cross the island. An information deficit exists on how to drive on hilly roads. The prime minister recently made a clarion call about the need to drive public education in the context of road safety. The rest of today’s article – the product of research – will be devoted to filling information gaps about how motorists, in general, should approach driving on the Spur Tree Hill main road and other roads like it.

General approach

When a vehicle is travelling downhill, especially on a steep and winding road like Spur Tree Hill main road, the vehicle’s load can significantly affect the effectiveness of its braking system. The relationship between vehicle load and braking performance is influenced by several factors:

1. Increased weight

• More force required to slow down: As the load on the vehicle increases, the total weight of the vehicle also increases. A heavier vehicle generates more kinetic energy while travelling downhill. This means that the braking system will have to work harder to dissipate this energy and bring the vehicle to a stop. This can result in longer stopping distances and higher demands on the braking system.

2. Brake fade

• Heat buildup: Braking generates heat, and when a vehicle is heavily loaded, the braking system (especially the brake pads and discs) can heat up more quickly. On long downhill descents, this can lead to brake fade, where the brakes lose their effectiveness due to excessive heat. This is especially concerning on steep roads like Spur Tree, where frequent braking is necessary to control speed.

• Overheating risks: If the braking system becomes overheated, it may start to lose its ability to create friction, resulting in weaker braking performance or even total brake failure in extreme cases.

3. Increased risk of skidding or loss of control

• Higher inertia: A heavier vehicle has more inertia. This means it resists changes in speed and direction. On a steep incline, this can make it harder to control the vehicle, particularly if the brakes are not functioning at full capacity. If the vehicle’s load is unevenly distributed, it can also affect the vehicle’s balance, potentially leading to skidding or loss of traction.

4. Effect on the braking mechanism

• Brake wear: With increased weight, the brake pads and discs wear down faster, especially if the vehicle is repeatedly braking downhill. If the driver is not using lower gears to control the descent and relies heavily on the brakes, this accelerates wear and tear.

• Transmission and engine braking: On steep downhill roads, drivers are often advised to use lower gears to assist with engine braking (which helps to slow down the vehicle without relying as much on the brakes). A heavily loaded vehicle will require more use of engine braking, as its brakes will be under additional strain.

5. Longer stopping distances

• Increased stopping distances: A heavier load means more momentum to overcome. On a downhill slope, this translates into a longer distance required to bring the vehicle to a stop. Drivers may need to anticipate stopping distances more carefully to avoid accidents, particularly on a road like Spur Tree, which has sharp bends and varying elevations.

6. Potential for loss of control

• Uncontrolled descent: In extreme cases, such as when a vehicle is too heavily loaded or the driver fails to manage speed appropriately (e.g., by not shifting to a lower gear or relying too much on the brakes), the vehicle be difficult to control on a steep slope. This is particularly dangerous on roads like Spur Tree, which can be narrow, have tight corners, and are frequented by other vehicles.

Best practices to mitigate risks:

• Use lower gears to assist with engine braking, reducing the reliance on the brakes.

• Ensure the vehicle is loaded correctly, with the weight evenly distributed to maintain stability and traction.

• Avoid excessive speed and anticipate the need for frequent braking, especially on steep or winding roads.

• Perform regular brake maintenance, ensuring the brake pads, fluid, and system are in good condition, especially before driving on hilly or mountainous roads.

Summary: a vehicle’s load significantly affects the effectiveness of its braking system, particularly when travelling downhill on a steep road like the Spur Tree road. The increased weight requires more braking force, contributes to higher brake temperatures, and can extend stopping distances, all of which increase the risk of brake fade, loss of control, or accidents if not properly managed.

Finally, it must also be recognised that because of ‘imperfections’ in the transport system, there are drivers with permits that were acquired by ‘bandoloo’ methods.

Cedric E. Stephens provides independent information and advice about the management of risks and insurance. For free information or counsel, write to: aegis@flowja.com or business@gleanerjm.com