Collisions between Lorries and cyclists often result in fatal or serious injury. CIHT believe that the use of Lorry Proximity Sensors could have a valuable use in the protection of these vulnerable road users. The sensors provide a viable solution and are targeted at the specific problem, of left-turning lorries colliding with cyclists or motorcyclists on their nearside. 

Conventional mirrors can provide some benefit but are essentially passive, relying on the driver looking at them.  This active system comprises proximity sensors and a camera monitoring system, which is activated only when a lorry is preparing to turn left.  Proximity sensors on wheel arches detect any cyclist or motorcyclist present and trigger an audible warning that the vehicle is turning left.  At the same time, the driver can view the nearside area on an in-cab display.  This scheme is of low cost and addresses a proven problem which has been resistant to other measures to date. 

CIHT has recognised the potential for industry to contribute to a serious road safety problem in an economic and effectively targeted way.

CIHT on Road Safety

Delivering a safe network
As we enter the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and notwithstanding that the UK has some of the safest roads in the world, CIHT continues to provide leadership on road safety issues. CIHT welcomes the UK Government’s continued commitment to road safety, with the development of a road safety framework and the benchmarking for future casualty reduction.

CIHT is keen to emphasise that ownership and responsibility for road safety will be delivered at both an individual and an authority level. This requires focus on both infrastructure (engineering aspects) and road user behaviour (e.g. drug / drink driving, mobile phone-related accidents, tackling illegal and inappropriate driving through training and enforcement).

In a constrained fiscal environment it is even more important that limited funds are used effectively. CIHT encourages local authorities to embed the importance of road safety in their key policy documents, work across departments and with stakeholders to ensure continued delivery of casualty reduction.

CIHT calls on UK Governments to ensure that all road safety interventions are intelligence led. It will be essential for the road safety profession to share best practice, and to learn from interventions that have not been effective.