Many employers with vehicle fleets are not taking advantage of new technologies to protect vulnerable road users, according to Brake, the road safety charity.
In a survey by Brake only 20% of HGV operators surveyed have rear-facing cameras, 8% have side-facing cameras, and 12% have side sensors on all their vehicles.
The survey found HGV safety technologies that are mandatory under European law, such as underrun protection and wide-angle lenses, are present on almost all vehicles.
Brake is now calling for more comprehensive regulation to ensure the ‘widespread take up of technologies’ such as automatically moving mirrors, side-view cameras and side sensors.
The report also indicates there is scope for fleet operators to make far greater use of safety management technologies such as telematics. Half of operators surveyed (49%) do not use telematics at all, and many of those who do said they don’t making full use of the technology
Dr Tom Fisher, senior research and communications officer at 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.
“Blind spot devices and safety management kit like telematics have huge potential to reduce crashes and casualties, and bring down associated costs for the operator.
“Brake urges all fleet operators to go beyond the bare legal minimum to ensure their vehicles and drivers are as safe as possible, especially in safeguarding our most vulnerable road users.”
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