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riving a ftilly-loaded HGV on Britain's crowded roads can be

8th August 2002, Page 41
8th August 2002
Page 41
Page 41, 8th August 2002 — riving a ftilly-loaded HGV on Britain's crowded roads can be
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

daunting at the best of times. But it does help if your steering wheel's on tie correct side of the vehicle.

With growing numbers of foreign drivers now plying their trade in the UK, there's mounting evidence that left-hand drive trucks, poor close-up visibility and dense traffic are producing a potentially lethal combination for other road users.

Kent police say they have a particular problem with foreign trucks colliding with smaller passenger vehicles that have slipped into their blind spot and, hemmed in by surrounding traffic, are unable to get past.

The Mzo to and from Dover has become a notorious hotspot for collisions involving left-hand drive HGVs—invariably artics. Now the concentration of foreign trucks heading to, and from, the country's busiest port and various destinations in the UK and abroad makes this one of the most dangerous roads in the country for this type of accident.

Statistics

Officially, there are no statistics to illustrate the full extent of the problem. Unofficially, police sources report, its happening almost every other day.

"The problem is these drivers cannot see a vehicle in their mirror once they're at a certain point," says Sergeant Steve Larkin of Kent police traffic division.

"If you're driving alongside one of them and you're half way past the trailer, it's not a problem. But once you're level with the cab, there can be trouble."

According to Larkin, accidents are happening because of a combination of events. A left-hand drive truck or attic in the hands of an experienced driver is not in itself a hazard. But the particular blind-spots they have in terms of their rear view can be highly dangerous in heavy traffic.

In three lanes of solid motorway traffic, all moving at the same speed, a foreign driver on the inside lane may check his right (offside) mirror several times over the course of a few minutes and still not see a car that is just inches from his front wheels. Thinking there's nothing there. he may pull out and cause a collision. They may catch the rear end of the other vehicle and send it into a spin, or it gets pushed onto the crash barrier, adds Larkin.

Kent traffic police first noticed the dangers nearly io years ago and have made various attempts to highlight the problem to the authorities and other road users.

And there is a feeling that the number of incidents will inevitably increase in line with the growing influx of foreign operators in the UK, though this is difficult to confirm as there appear to be no central statistics detailing the proportion of lefthanded HGVs involved in UK road traffic accidents.

Yet it's hard not to compare the growing number of trucks on the road with the current number of accidents. Since the mid-r 99os, the number of foreign vehicles on Britain's roads has risen sharply, spurred on by low international operating costs and cheap fuel. It's now estimated that one in ten HGVs operating in the UK is registered abroad.

Local recovery operators can certainly vouch for the trend. Kent operator Mike Mahoney says he can recall two recent incidents where left-hand drive trucks have hit other vehicles on the !viz°.

"It is happening quite a bit. There were two occasions in June where foreign vehicles pulled out and caused accidents. One spun a lady driver into the central reset vation. The driver did stop on that occasion but he was in a hurry to catch the ferry.

"The trouble is Kent is like a funnel. If there's anything going to or from the Continent, it goes through here."

Other police forces say they are not aware it is a problem on the same scale as Kent but the Freight Transport Association has been quizzed on the subject in the past by the House of Commons Transport Select Committee.

In a statement to CM the Department for Transport says it is aware that visibility involving left-hand drive vehicles on UK roads is a problem 'and vice-versa on mainland Europe'.

It adds: "The mirror configuration leads to blind spots and the drivers may be unaware of vehicles in these blind spots when manoeuvring."

Now plans are afoot to try and cut the number of accidents. Earlier this year, the European Commission adopted a proposal, which—providing it's sanctioned by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers—will set tough new standards for vehicle manufacturers to improve mirror design and visibility.

The proposal calls for amendments to an existing EU directive on rear-view mirrors and would compel truck manufacturers, for example, to speed up the into duction of new technologic designed to improve safety.

The Commission says it aware that poor visibility is cau ing unnecessary accidents, mar of them involving trucks.

"A number of accidents a: caused by drivers who are nt aware other road users are ve close to or beside their vehicl They are often related to a chani of direction at crossings, jun tions or roundabouts when d: vers fail to detect others in ti blind spots in the area immec ately around their vehicles.

"When larger vehicles such trucks are involved, these act dents frequently lead to seria injuries or even fatalities."

Mirrors

The key changes would inclu extra mirrors on the front HGVs to boost all-round visibil and the use of aspherical mirro which give a better view th standard rear-view mirrors, t small commercial vehicles.

The Commission says tru manufacturers would also required to upgrade the techni characteristics of all mirrors the curvature provides a bet view. They may even be forced replace certain mirrors with otl 'indirect vision systems'—such built-in cameras and monitors

The proposals would, for first time, harmonise the requi ments for rear view mirrors new vehicles across Europe. I even if the EU agrees to the p posals, it could be some ti: before any changes filter throu In the meantime, police fear, carnage in Kent may continue.


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