Diesel spills kill - check your vehicle advise FTA
24 November 2003

Check your fuel caps, don’t overfill your tanks and report any defect in the fuel filling system is the advice to lorry drivers being issued by the Freight Transport Association which is supporting a campaign by a variety of road users to stop diesel spills. The Kill Spills campaign was launched following the death of a motorcyclist after he slid on a patch of diesel, losing control of his machine he collided with an on-coming car.

Diesel spills present a threat to all road users and as such the FTA is urging all commercial vehicle operators and drivers to take care when filling lorries and vans with diesel. Although fuel and oil are among the items which should be checked by a driver before a vehicle is used, and are included on the daily vehicle checklist and defect report, extra care could be taken to ensure fuel caps are replaced properly and that the tank has not been overfilled.

Louisa Bellée, FTA Press Officer said, ‘Raising awareness about any aspect of road safety is an essential part of the work of the Freight Transport Association and as such we very much support the work being done by the KillSpills campaign to ensure the safety of motorcyclists on the UK’s roads.  

‘Not only is it a matter of common sense to check that commercial vehicles are not spilling diesel onto the roads but it is also a regulatory responsibility - there are serious consequences for those that contravene these legal requirements. All road users have a mutual responsibility to take the greatest care for their own safety and that of each other.

‘The message is simple - check that fuel caps are replaced correctly, don’t overfill tanks and report any defect in the fuel filling system immediately.’


Notes to Editors

The KillSpills campaign is supported by Fast Bikes Magazine, Two Wheels Only Magazine, Motorcycle Industry Association, Motorcycle Voyager magazines, Donnington Park, The RAC Foundation, the Freight Transport Association, Asda and The Sun, British Motorcycle Federation, Motorcycle Action Group and the National Association for Bikers with Disabilities.