Breaking straps

[layback40]

Queensland road toll: Driver killed after being hit by towing strap,
Madura McCormack, Jack McKay, The Courier-Mail
June 15, 2017 6:09am

A MAN has died after being struck by a towing strap in a freak accident at a central Queensland beach on Thursday afternoon.

It is understood the 26-year-old Yeppoon man had hooked up his vehicle to another vehicle that became bogged on the beach near Hinz Avenue, Bangalee, about 5.15pm.

While the man was driving his vehicle, the towing strap snapped and the tension caused it to recoil and hit him.

Emergency services were called and CPR was carried out on the man by paramedics within 10 minutes of the call but he died at the scene.

No one else was injured in the incident.

[Nanook]

This is one reason why I very rarely use straps to help anyone out of the sand.

Maxtrax first and then the winch are always my first options.

[neil_se]

That's a real tragedy, I think many underestimate the danger in recoveries. I've heard of other similar incidents, usually from unsuitable recovery points or tow balls being used.

[dukeh1962]

It is a tragedy, I have seen it first hand where a young girl had her head out the window watching her Dad "snatch" another 4X4 and the strap let go and she was hit in the face with a Dee shackle, broken cheek and very lucky!
Winch cables are also dangerous, not sure how the new ropes recoil under tension..?

[Nanook]

Winch cables are also dangerous, not sure how the new ropes recoil under tension..?

If you always use a dampener the chance of any snap back is decreased significantly.

[neil_se]

I was assisting a winch truck once a few years ago and when the Dyneema rope broke it basically just fell to the ground.

[Classic Boy]

Snatch straps are much more dangerous as a whip than winch rope/cable as the snatch strap is designed to stretch somewhat and store at least momentarily a lot of kinetic energy to help bump/spring the bogged vehicle out of its position. Winch ropes are designed to transfer load dynamically essentially without much stretch and therefore don't tend to store much kinetic energy.

Who remembers the myth busters trying to prove the myth that a winch cable under enormous tension when suddenly broken will cut a person in half, well they found it would probably make a few abrasions but unlikely to break the skin let alone break a bone.

Snatch straps being somewhat elastic they fly off with considerable force when they break.

[Banshee]

Unless it was the fitting at the end that broke & the strap recoiled with a shackle on it, I don't see how it could do that much damage? I can easily see a shackle on the end of a strap killing someone, though, and I'm in the "always use a dampener" camp.

If you don't have one, use a blanket, towel, jacket, or pretty much anything light that you can hang over it.

[Benno9872]

Banshee is correct. Failure of the anchor point on the towing vehicle. D-shackle then became a missile, striking the driver of the tow vehicle. tragic incident.