Keltbray Group is trialling two new vulnerable-road-user protection devices on one of its London tippers.
First is the DawesGuard, which creates an inflatable barrier between the axles of large vehicles to prevent a cyclist or pedestrian from being dragged underneath.
DawesGuard has been designed to be retractable for use on uneven, off-road sites and enable it to be fitted by construction and waste hauliers.
Keltbray has also equipped the truck with a Dawes PeoplePanel, made from a shatterproof plastic, which is fitted over existing under-run bars to reduce the risk of entanglement of clothing or the bicycle itself.
Head of haulage operations for Keltbray, Terry Good, said the company is continuously looking at new equipment and training to improve safety standards across its fleet.
Standard HGV equipment includes front, offside and nearside CCTV on all tipper trucks; cycle and pedestrian sensor systems; side under-run guards; reversing cameras and white noise reversing sirens; cab-operated air tailgate systems; front and rear strobe lighting; and hydraulic load sensors.
“We are now very excited to trial the DawesGuard," added Good, "which we hope holds the key to optimising safety and preventing vulnerable road users from entering the danger zones underneath the truck.
"Flexibility and ease has been built into the system, which our drivers can deploy and retract with the flick of a switch.”
Dawes Highway Safety MD James Dawes (pictured, left next to Keltbray driver Jose de Lemos) said: “It’s a real landmark day for Dawes Highway Safety to see the DawesGuard being trialed by Keltbray. They have been fantastic supporters of our design and are seeking to improve the road safety of their tipper fleet with innovative new technology as part of their commitment to road safety.”
The DawesGuard is also being trialled by operators using a Dennis Eagle urban safety vehicle, which was launched at a Clocs progress event in March.