Cyclist friendly trucks revealed

New lorries have been revealed which would cut down potential collisions with cyclists, thanks to improved safety features.

The unveiling comes after an increase in the amount of accidents involving cyclists and, more recently, after a mother-of-two was killed by a lorry in London while on a Boris bike.

The updated vehicles have put safety first with features such as lowered seats ensuring that drivers will have more visibility to see cyclists and pedestrians. This would previously have been a blind spot for drivers and a cause of accidents on the road. 

Other features include extended windows, which give a better view, concertina see-through doors and “run under” protection, which incorporates rails around the truck to stop any vulnerable road users being dragged underneath. 

The likes of Mercedes-Benz, Volo and Dennis Eagle have already adopted the new safer, more improved trucks, which are now on sale.

Due to the high proportion of cycle accidents involving a HGV, Transport for London Commissioner Peter Hendy said: “The new vehicles, with massively reduced blind sport, show what can be done if people join together to solve a simple problem”.

The increased focus on cyclist safety goes hand in hand with the UK’s first Safer Lorry Scheme, which is being rolled out from September and will see lorries without basic safety equipment being banned from the road. 

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