Exchanging Places comes to Birmingham

Members of the public will have a chance to sit in the driver’s seat of a HGV and experience first-hand the blind spots faced by drivers of large vehicles as part of a road safety event in Sutton Park, Birmingham this weekend.

Birmingham City Council’s Cycle Revolution team is organising the Birmingham Exchanging Places event on Saturday 7 March in a bid to help avoid cycling casualties caused by cyclist-driver collisions.

Originally developed by the Metropolitan Police Service, Exchanging Places has been acknowledged as an effective safety demonstration for highlighting the dangers that cyclists face when they travel in close proximity to large vehicles.

At Exchanging Places events cyclists are able to experience a HGV driver’s view of the road and get a better understanding of the blind spots around the vehicle. The purpose is to raise awareness of the dangers of collisions between cyclists and large vehicles.

In Birmingham, council officers will be joined by colleagues from West Midlands Police and Jaguar Land Rover to offer safety information, discuss the various scenarios that can occur when cycling near HGVs, and give practical advice about staying safe on the road.

Birmingham City Councillor James McKay, who has responsibility for road safety, said: “We can all help to make our roads safer by being aware of the dangers and taking steps to reduce the risk of collisions.

“Some insider knowledge about how HGVs operate, together with driving and cycling do’s and don’ts, can help us all travel more safely.

“The cycling ‘buzz’ in Birmingham is gaining momentum and it is therefore essential to ensure everyone is as safe as possible. Our Birmingham Exchanging Places events aim to raise awareness of responsible driving and cycling so that we can all share the roads safely.”