Causes of Commercial Vehicle Accidents
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THE most frequent cause of accidents
involving public-service vehicles in 1454 was sudden stopping. In the case of light goods vehicles, it was careless turning right, and in the case of heavy goods vehicles, misjudging clearance, distance or speed. This is revealed in "Road Accidents, 1954." (Stationery Office, 4s.) Careless crossing at a road junction was the most prevalent cause of accidents concerning cars and taxis.
A total of 297,200 vehicles was involved in accidents last year. Of these, 52,025 were goods vehicles and 24,149 public-service vehicles. Overloading was held to be a contributory factor in 272 out of 1,199 accidents involving light goods vehicles, and faulty brakes in 104 out of 412 heavy-goods-vehicle accidents and 44 out of 162 publicservice-vehicle accidents. Faulty brakes were also contributory to 217 accidents with light goods vehicles.
Turning left without care was a factor in 14.660 accidents out of 122,472, doors not fastened properly (the publication refers to the rear doors of goods vehicles) were concerned in 12,978, misjudgment of clearance, distance or speed in 10,798, and cyclists riding with head down in 9,730 cases. Inexperienced drivers contributed to 8,299 accidents, drivers overtaking on the near side to 7,048, and cyclists holding on to vehicles to 6,906.