New safety campaign will highlight HGV blind spots

A campaign to educate the public about the number of HGV blind spots professional drivers have to contend with has been launched after research showed more than a third were unaware.

National Highways (NH) said car and van drivers can underestimate the limitations HGV drivers face in seeing passing vehicles.

It commissioned a survey which found that while nearly three quarters of people said they take extra care when overtaking a HGV, 36% said they did not know how many blind spots a HGV had.

The same number also admitted feeling nervous when passing trucks.

In a campaign video supported by the RHA and Logistics UK, drivers are urged to ‘know the zones’ where HGV drivers have limited visibility.

Chris Yarsley, a senior policy manager at Logistics UK, said: “The safety of our members, and all other road users, is of paramount importance to Logistics UK and this new campaign is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of the hazards when interacting with HGVs on England’s motorway and major A-road network.

“We welcome safety initiatives like this because it will encourage motorists to think about overtaking lorries safely without lingering in zones of limited visibility.”

Jeremy Phillips, NH head of road safety, said: “Our advice to motorists overtaking a HGV is simple; avoid tailgating the HGV when considering an overtaking manoeuvre and as the Highway Code states, do so quickly and safely to avoid staying in an area of limited visibility.”