RIDE LIMITATIONS FOR VEHICLES TRANSPORTING DANGEROUS MATTERS THROUGH ROAD AND HIGHWAY TUNNELS

Abstract

The paper deals with the questions of specific kind of road transport – transport of dangerous matters – in the point of view of safety in road and highway tunnels. The safety of road transport of dangerous matters in tunnels is a rather discussed question, because incalculable losses not-only in environment but also in human lives are occurring in the case of accidents of these vehicles. Consequences of these accidents have to be effectively prevented and partially precluded in the way of various limitations of rides, improvement of equipment of tunnels or also in the way of improvement of information about actual situation in tunnels. The limitation of tunnel rides allows accident prevention and especially prevention of their serious consequents. On the other hand the limitation requires early and clear marking of alternate roads for vehicles transporting dangerous matters. Some of these alternate roads are able to be more dangerous than the classical way through the “prohibited” road or highway tunnel thank to increasing congestions and also thank to specific problems (e.g. mountain terrain).