The National Police Chief’s Council has dedicated this week to Commercial Vehicle awareness. In the UK, there are more than 5 million commercial vehicles on our roads every day. With so many commercial vehicles on our roads, it is important to ensure drivers are doing the correct checks to keep themselves and others safe and that pedestrians and cyclists are aware of safety around large vehicles.
HGVs (Heavy Goods Vehicles)
Since the beginning of 2020, 186 people have been killed or seriously injured in collisions across Beds, Cambs and Herts involving light or heavy goods vehicles.
Pedestrians and cyclists should remember that large vehicles cannot see directly in front of them or to the side, as shown in the image. Some easy changes to make - Stand away from HGVs and make sure that you can see the driver. If you can’t see them, they can’t see you!
There are newer models, called Direct Vision Cabs, which have extra windows that allow drivers better vision. But you should always err on the side of caution.
Drivers following HGV’s should keep a bigger following distance than to other cars to ensure you can be seen in their mirrors, should watch for wide turns, and increase distance when passing.
Work Related Road Risk (WRRR)
Long working hours have a negative impact on your ability to drive well. Fatigue is a major cause of road crashes and at-work drivers are particularly at risk of tiredness at the wheel. When driving, ensure you take enough breaks and watch how many hours you’re clocking up to make sure you stick to the laws.
Further guidance on how long you can stay on the road in commercial vehicles can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/drivers-hours-rules-and-guidance
Commercial drivers should check their loads are secure, goods are being transported safely, and that they do a daily walk around.
Drivers should always check their vehicle before beginning a journey, for more information on how, see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/van-drivers-daily-walkaround-check/van-drivers-daily-walkaround-check
More information on commercial vehicle safety and maintenance can be found: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vehicle-safety-and-maintenance-guides
The Road Victims Trust
The Road Victims Trust (RVT) are a registered charity that provide emotional and practical support to all persons affected by the trauma of a fatal and life-changing collision in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. The RVT work in partnership with the Police across the 3 counties, and are proud partners of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Vision Zero Partnership.
Each year the RVT support over 550 people across the 3 counties with a bespoke delivery of case-management and counselling services.
Speaking about the Commercial Vehicles week, Mark Turner, Chief Executive of the RVT, said “The trauma and devastation caused by fatal and life-changing collisions are immense with people’s lives changed in the blink of an eye. The amount of Commercial Vehicles/HGVs involved in such collisions are significant and I welcome the renewed energy by all partners to take proactive and preventative action during a focused campaign”
For more information on the Road Victims Trust, or to access support, please go to: https://www.rvtrust.org.uk/
