Engineering news
Direct vision from the cab of a truck, rather than mirrors and monitors, has a substantial impact on improving road safety for pedestrians and cyclists, according to new research from Transport for London.
The research, which used a simulator to replicate a real-life driving situation for the first time, showed that the amount of direct vision a driver has could be a crucial factor in allowing a dangerous collision to be avoided. The study showed that drivers respond on average 0.7 seconds slower when checking blind spots and monitors compared to directly through the windows. This delay can result in a lorry travelling an extra 1.5m before seeing a nearby road user.
The findings have been published as TfL launched a consultation into its 'zero to five star' Direct Vision Standard for commercial vehicles operating in the Capital. The 12-week consultation runs until 18 April and aims to identify how the standard can be best used to reduce road casualties on London's roads.
Under the mayor's plans, the most dangerous commercial vehicles will be banned from London's streets entirely by January 2020. These trucks, often off-road vehicles, would be 'zero-star rated' by the Direct Vision Standard - determined by the level of vision the driver has directly from the cab.
TfL and the Greater London Authority plans to include the new Direct Vision Standard in new contracts from April.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “This new research shows how important it is we take bold action to address dangerous and poorly designed lorries operating in the Capital. HGVs with poor vision of cyclists, pedestrians and other road users from their cabin should simply not be allowed on London's roads.
“By continuing to work closely with industry, and beginning our first consultation now, we're confident that many of the most dangerous lorries on London's roads will be upgraded before our ban comes into place,” he added.