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Highway Code needs specific lorry safety tips
Page 6
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THE HIGHWAY Code, described as "essential reading for all road users'needs to be amended to include a specific section on how other drivers should co-exist on Britain's roads with trucks and vans, say transport industry representatives.
According to the Freight Transport Association (ETA), accidents and near-misses could he avoided if road users were more aware of their rights and responsibilities around trucks.
At present, the Highway Code includes sections on how to behave around other cars, cyclists, motorcyclists and even those using pow eredmobility scooters, however, the ETA insists: "There is no mention made of lorries."
It is now calling on the Department for Transport to amend the code to include better guidance on how to behave around trucks and to test learner drivers' knowledge as part of their driving test.
FTA policy director James Hookham thinks that the lack of specific information on how nonHGV drivers should behave around trucks is a fatal error. adding: "Whenever there is an accident, or even a near miss, involving
a lorry, the common assumption is that the lorry driver is at fault. But how many of us are aware of how much clearance we need to give HGVs when we're overtaking or how much distance we need to keep to help a lorry driver see us? The Association says that: "Unless there is a compulsion on new drivers to learn and understand how to handle their vehicle around lorries, there will be more accidents. Three years ago, the Driving Standards Agency consulted on changes to the Highway Code, but ended up bottling it."
It adds: "We're now asking them to rethink that decision and help make our roads safer."