A transparent Samsung HGV crammed an articulated lorry with electronics to allow drivers on the road behind to see right through it. The Safety Truck sets out to reduce the number of deaths on Argentinian roads by helping drivers to overtake large lorries. Unfortunately the danger posed by HGVs to cyclists in urban areas has yet to be addressed.
Britain suffers a disproportionately high number of road traffic collisions involving heavy goods vehicles; well over half of cyclist deaths in London this year have involved lorries. Most of these fatal collisions happen because the driver of a heavy goods vehicle has failed to see a cyclist.
Techno-fixes are unlikely to solve the problem of road danger. The only safe way for a motorist to overtake a long vehicle on a single lane road is to drop back, pulling out only when there is a stretch of clear and straight road. The idea that a driver might follow the transparent Samsung HGV closely and base the decision of whether to pull out on a video feed is a recipe for problems. To be fair to Samsung, the Safety Truck is an advertising campaign to demonstrate its technological expertise, and that it does very well.
Safety improvements to lorry design
At present, the HGV industry in Europe is a closed shop. Indeed, the European Commission last year opened a cartel investigation into EU lorry manufacturers to ensure they were not price fixing. With regards to design, strict regulations are imposed in order to create a level paying field for truck companies across Europe. However, this practice has stifled improvements in design that promise to improve fuel efficiency and safety for other road users.
A new bill promises to allow manufacturers to build heavier and larger trucks on the proviso that they are safer and use less fuel. This would be achieved by giving designers the chance to transform brick-shaped tractor units into a rounded, aerodynamic shape and spoilers to aid efficiency at the back of the vehicle. Rounded cabs with bigger windows will help to reduce blind spots.
The European parliament is asking for the rules to come into force as soon as possible, but representatives from France and Sweden – both home to large truck manufacturers – are requesting to postpone it for at least 8 years.
According to Transport & Environment senior adviser William Todts: “The truck industry is operating like a cartel. They try to kill innovation and competition but may end up killing real people too. New curvy truck designs could save up to 900 lives every year and actually save businesses money.”
Improvements to lorry design will go some way to reducing road danger, but the onus should always be on the drivers of heavy vehicles to drive with extreme care. And for vulnerable for vulnerable road users to give them a wide berth.
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