Unseen tragedy
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
My young son was killed by a milk tanker in April. The driver of the lorry said the child was below his angle of vision as he pulled away from the side of the road, and he was subsequently absolved of responsibility for the death.
There are plainly several blind spots on some lorries. Drivers cannot see what is directly in front of them, especially on inclines.
I recently saw a lorry with a convex mirror over his cab. I spoke to the driver and he said he had made it himself to cover his blind spots. Manufacturers also produce blind-spot mirrors. They are available, but few drivers use them because it's not required by law. There is plenty of other legislation governing lorries, but this seems to have been overlooked.
Perhaps it's up to drivers and vehicle manufacturers to take the initiative.
No one is going to be held responsible for the death of my son but a simple mirror would have prevented it. Seamus Owens, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.