The Alabama Department of Transportation is reminding drivers that knowing the height of their vehicle can prevent crashes, traffic delays and costly damage to bridges and tunnels.
During Bridge Strike Awareness Week, July 27-31, ALDOT will promote the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign. The campaign encourages drivers to confirm that their vehicles and loads can safely pass beneath bridges and through tunnels along state and local roadways.
Bridge strikes occur when a vehicle or its load hits an overhead structure. These preventable crashes can damage vehicles and infrastructure, disrupt traffic and place drivers, passengers and emergency responders at risk.
“Knowing your vehicle’s total height is just as important as knowing where you are going,” said ALDOT Deputy Director of Operations George Conner. “Before getting behind the wheel, drivers should check the height of the vehicle and its load, plan the route carefully and pay close attention to posted clearance signs. A quick check before a trip can prevent a dangerous crash and hours of disruption for everyone on the road.”
Drivers should:
- Know the total height of the vehicle, including any cargo or equipment.
- Make sure loads are properly secured.
- Plan the route before traveling.
- Watch for and obey all posted clearance signs.
- Never rely solely on a GPS device or navigation app to identify height restrictions.
- Stop and choose another route if there is any uncertainty about available clearance.
These precautions apply to commercial vehicle operators as well as drivers of moving trucks, delivery trucks, recreational vehicles and other tall vehicles. Drivers who do not regularly operate larger vehicles may be unfamiliar with their height. For example, a typical 26-foot moving or delivery truck may range from 11 feet to 13 feet, 6 inches tall.
Vehicle height is also an important consideration at the Wallace and Bankhead tunnels in Mobile. The Bankhead Tunnel has experienced repeated incidents involving over height vehicles that ignored warning signs and struck the tunnel entrance.
ALDOT is conducting the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign alongside other state transportation agencies with support from The Eastern Transportation Coalition.
