Freight vehicles ignoring safety concerns

HGV operators are needlessly putting lives in danger, thanks to an unwillingness to install new safety features.

A lack of rear-facing cameras on fleet and logistics vehicles is proving detrimental to cyclists and pedestrians on the road.

New research from The Licence Bureau found that, despite an increase in popularity for in-car cameras, freight firms are slow to adapt. Only a fifth of businesses operating HGVs utilised the technology, whilst only 12% used side sensors across their fleet.

Lorries and HGVs may only account for 5% of the vehicles on the UK's roads, but they are involved in a disproportionately high number of fatal incidents - 23% of fatalities involving cyclists and 13% of deaths involving pedestrians.

Dr. Tom Fisher, senior research and communications officer at the road charity Brake, said: “Employers whose staff drive for work have a duty of care both to their own employees and other road users.

“While not a panacea, technology can play a big part in helping them improve safety and exercise that duty, so it is disappointing to see that so many are not taking full advantage of new safety technologies on offer.”

HGVs have been the cause of a number of fatal accidents in recent years, with 78 cyclists and pedestrians killed in 2013. Five cyclists were killed over the last few months in London alone.

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