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6th October 2005, Page 64
6th October 2005
Page 64
Page 65
Page 64, 6th October 2005 — = YOUR CAB IS
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

OUR CASTLE

Being attacked in his cab must be every driver's

nightmare — Julian Nines assesses the risk and reviews products designed to reduce it Since the dawn of commercial vehicle time truck theft has been an unpleasant fact of life. But recently a new phenomenon has gathered pace, which is particularly unpleasant. Cab crime, whether breaking in to steal a driver's cash and credit cards, or gaining access through force to hijack the vehicle, is on the increase, forcing operators and drivers to tackle the issue head on.

Debbie Jones, director of cab security company Protekdor,says:"Thivers and operators have historically bought our products after the event, but that's now changing. People are being proactive, motivated by the increase in incidents."

Jones adds that there has been an increase in attacks on light CVs: "We're finding that vans are being increasingly targeted when it comes to cabin break-ins, which has prompted us to evolve one of our products to make it fit Transit and Sprinter-size vehicles."

EU takes action

So what's the current situation? Although no up-to-date statistics are available it is widely agreed that cab crime is on the increase. So much so that it has attracted the attention of the European Conference of the Ministers of Transport (ECMT) and the International Road Transport Union — they have launched a joint survey into attacks on truck drivers.This is part of a wider study into the growing problem of crime against international truck traffic which will also include a survey of policy structures and legal frameworks for dealing with such crimes. Jack Short, secretary-general of the ECMT, says: "Crime against commercial vehicles, including attacks on truck drivers, is a growing problem and we need to understand better its human and economic costs. By questioning thousands of drivers about attacks we will gather valuable information which will help governments and transport operators to put in place targeted measures to counter this type of criminal activity more effectively."

What statistics do exist make uncomfortable reading.The 2003 ROAD report (Research On Attacked Drivers) found that between 2000 and 200316% of drivers had their cabs broken into or were assaulted, and 10% of victims had been broken into more than once. Some 41% of attacks took place at motorway service areas and 30% in truck parks. And this pan-European survey identified the UK as the worst country for attacks,with 59% of the total; way ahead of second-placed Italy with 18.5%.

In an ideal world vehicle manufacturers would build in security measures able to withstand any attack,but according to Jones they are not doing enough to address the problern:"Vehicle manufacturers consistently provide poor door locks, meaning the driver has to look elsewhere. Their general attitude is our locks are fine' as they can't be seen to admit liability."

A relatively recent development is the use of gas to knock out the driver.The ROAD survey asked drivers about this and no less than 11% of victims questioned said they had been rendered unconscious in this way while their cabs were broken into. A further 11% were not sure if they had been gassed.This could indicate that robberies took place and gas was used,but that the drivers were not aware of this technique and had not thought about it before.

DCI Carl Foulkes is head of Operation Indicate, set up to target lorry crime in the West Midlands. He says: "There has been an increase in the number of reported gas attacks, though we haven't been able to recover a sample of residue to confirm this so far. My advice when it comes to this issue is the more security the better."

Security cuts premiums An added benefit to making your cab more secure is a possible reduction in insurance premiums. One company that has recognised Protekdor's products is the specialist broker Blagrove. It has negotiated a deal with several commercial insurers and in some cases discounts of up to 12% have been granted to operators using Protekdor equipment.

Tony McLeman, fleet insurance broker for Blagrove. says:"We approached several insurance companies regarding cab security products and after much discussion arrived at an agreement that fitment of these products would be recognised."

However, fitting such products will not automatically bring you insurance premium discounts across the board. Some companies believe they are simply part of a wider programme of risk management.

David Shaw, development and claims manager for Norwich Union, explains: "Having extra security will make a particular risk more attractive to an insurance company, but it is unusual for a specific device such as an alarm system to result in a discount directly. Adopting risk management measures is not only protecting the haulier's business, but also helping to maintain good customer relations with the company whose goods are being transported."

For operators undecided about investing in extra employee protection, health and safety legislation deems it necessary for appropriate safety measures lobe taken. Its a legal requirement for employers to address commercial vehicle driver protection in the workplace — and a driver's workplace is his cab. If it's proven that adequate steps haven't been taken to protect the driver his employer might be held liable for damages. •


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