Fresnel lens rollout will reduce freight haulage side-swiping
Date: 05 December 2007
The government is rolling out 'fresnel lenses' for freight haulage trucks in an effort to reduce the number of 'side-swiping' incidents on the UK's roads.
Side-swiping occurs when logistics drivers in left-hand drive trucks pull out blindly into other lanes on major roads, endangering the lives of other motorists.
"Side-swiping is an issue we are determined to tackle," said road safety minister Jim Fitzpatrick.
"It's important that all truckers whether from Britain or overseas are able use our roads safely. However, many drivers here don't realise that left-hand drive lorries can't easily see a car overtaking them on the right, such as on a motorway.
"This has resulted in more than 400 side-swipe incidents in 2006 alone. As well as being dangerous these incidents cause delays and congestion."
Now the Highways Agency and VOSA are distributing fresnel lenses to freight haulage drivers at ports across the country. These lenses offer drivers of left-hand drive vehicles a wider field of vision through the passenger window.
Some 40,000 stick-on fresnel lenses were distributed free at French ports, with a further 90,000 to be distributed at Liverpool, Hull, Newcastle, Heysham and Harwich, Calais, Coquelles and Dunkerque.
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