The Fight Freight Crime campaign is looking for support and funding from the road freight sector it represents; to raise funding for TruckPol at a time when organised truck crime is a growing threat.

RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning said: “To manage a problem one must have the ability to first measure its true scale. TruckPol provides vital information on such criminal activity and is the only police resource dedicated to collating and disseminating data and intelligence on UK truck crime. To see the demise of this unit would be a catastrophe and would set us back ten years.”

Theo de Pencier, FTA Chief Executive also commented: “TruckPol plays a key role in the fight against criminal gangs which target a sector that is both vulnerable and attractive to thieves. The fact that the industry it helps to protect has kept it afloat this last year shows how highly regarded it is. Sadly, without government funding, TruckPol is once again facing closure and it is up to industry to save it at the eleventh hour.”

It costs approximately £120,000 to fund TruckPol for 12 months. However,in these straightened times the collective pot of private sector funding is still some £30,000 short of the mark and with April fast approaching time is running out.

Volvo Trucks has long been the industry leader in the field of passive safety. For example in 1959, Volvo introduced the three-point safety belt – Volvo’s gift to the world. Today it’s a standard throughout the automotive industry and has made the world a better place by saving more lives in traffic than any other technical feature.

“The injury-reducing effect of the seatbelt is hard to beat when compared to other safety devices, but work still remains to be done: to get all truck drivers to use it,” says Lennart Svenson, former Head of Volvo Truck Accident Research Team at Volvo Truck Corporation.

Another good example of passive safety is a cab structure that gives enough survival space after an accident. Volvo Truck Corporation introduced pendulum-tested cabs in the 1960s and the crash-tested Volvo cab introduced a new level of safety to trucks, together with good ergonomics for its time.

Early traffic-safety development had a focus on passive safety, reducing injuries. For heavy-duty vehicles, the “golden age” of passive safety was from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Other milestones that stand out in the development of passive safety systems are the energy-absorbing steering wheel and under-run protections, which prevent the passenger car to end up under the truck in a frontal collision.

Truck safety was intensified in 1969 when Volvo started an accident research team manned by Kjell Högström and Lennart Svensson. During the 1970s Volvo Truck Corporation released the first external reports based on accident investigation and, as a result of this research, reinforcements in the doors and energy absorbing instrument panel were added.

Active safety, preventing accidents, was for many years synonymous with braking efficiency. Focus on steering and behaviours on the road were added. At the end of the 1990s, a system with the aim to assist the driver was introduced. Lately there has been more focus on detecting and acting on hazards that the driver might miss. The interface between man and machine becomes more and more important.

“It is a waste constructing a technically perfect vehicle if it is not adapted to humans and the traffic environment,” concludes Svenson.

The Minister wants highway authorities, mapping providers and satnav manufacturers to work more closely to ensure everything possible is done to make sure the right vehicles are on the right roads.

At present, it can take months for map updates to make their way from local councils to satnavs. As a result, thousands of drivers follow out-of-date maps, often because they are not aware they can update their maps.

The summit will take place in early March, a month before local authorities gain important new powers to decide how their roads appear on maps, helping them to better direct traffic.

· Plan your journey – is there a route with less exposure to the weather and less risk of fallen trees? Choose a sheltered route if you have the option.

· Strong winds are usually gusty, not constant, so ensure you hold the steering wheel firmly.

· Overtaking high sided vehicles or driving past buildings can result in a sudden gust from the side as you clear.

· Give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries and buses more room than usual – they get blown around by side winds easily.

· Watch trees and bushes on the roadside – their branches show you how strong the wind is. Look well ahead, that way you don’t need to take your eye off the road and you can see any windy patches before you get to them.

· Go slow enough to cope with the gusts. Wind can get under a vehicle and reduce its handling and braking significantly.

· Keep an eye on what is happening to other vehicles – where they are affected will give you early warning.

· Keep extra distance between you and the vehicle in front.

· Be careful of debris, try to keep space beside you in case you need to dodge it.

To help drivers stay safe this winter, the IAM has launched a new website, www.drivingadvice.org.uk, with traffic updates, weather forecasts and tips on how to drive safely a typically unpredictable British winter. Check it out before you travel.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “Britain has some of the safest roads in the world but we know how important it is to tackle the menace of drug driving.”

“That is why we are putting together a panel of experts to give us advice on the technical aspects of introducing a new offence of driving with an illegal drug in your body. The panel will look at how such an offence could be defined as well as considering whether it is possible to set levels for the impairing effects of specific drugs.”

The Department’s response to the North review made it clear that driving while impaired by drugs is as important an issue as drink-driving. It is now relatively easy to enforce the law against drink-driving, while the equally serious driving whilst impaired by drugs is more difficult to deal with effectively.

The Department said that it would examine the case for a new specific drug driving offence – alongside the existing one – which would relieve the need for the police to prove impairment case-by-case where a specified drug had been detected.

That is why the Department is putting together a panel of experts to give advice on the technical aspects of introducing a new offence of driving with an illegal drug in your body. The panel will look at how such an offence could be defined as well as considering whether it is possible to set levels for the impairing effects of specific drugs.

The panel’s terms of reference are under development and are likely to be finalised when the panel has been fully assembled and starts work. This is expected to be in the Spring.

It is likely that the panel will consider whether it is possible to identify, for average members of the adult population, the levels of drugs that have an impairing effect broadly equivalent to the current blood alcohol level. They will consider this effect for a number of drugs including cocaine, MDMA, cannabis, and opiates.

In cases where such levels can be identified the panel may then look at how these would vary across the population, including for habitual users of these substances.

The panel will examine whether impairment levels could be exceeded through prescribed or otherwise legally obtained drugs as well as the effects of the interaction drugs and alcohol and of different combinations of drugs.

The expert panel will comprise academic and scientific experts in the field of alcohol and drug misuse and we are also working with colleagues from the Home Office and Department of Health.

The group’s remit will be to provide scientific, evidence-based technical advice and not to provide policy or legal advice.

A late night; a double shift; a baby who won’t go to sleep or the monotony of the open road – there are many reasons for becoming drowsy at the wheel of a vehicle. Regardless of the cause, the consequences can be devastating on the person, the family, friends/colleagues or the vehicle. The proportion of accidents caused by tired drivers varies from one study to another, but is generally between about 15 and 60%. Research also shows that this type of accident is often more serious than collisions caused by other factors because reaction times are delayed and evasive manoeuvres are not taken.

Dead tired

“It has been proven that it can be as dangerous to drive while tired as it is to drive with alcohol in your bloodstream,” says Torbjörn Åkerstedt, sleep researcher and professor at Karolinska Institutet and the University of Stockholm.

During the course of his research, Professor Åkerstedt puts tired people into a driving simulator to study how they react behind the wheel. After first experiencing the classic symptoms of tiredness, such as heavy eyelids and yawning, many of the test subjects slip into what is known as a microsleep, when they doze off for a few seconds – often without realising it. To help combat this, Volvo Trucks has developed Driver Alert Support (DAS), a sensor-based system which detects when a driver is drifting off. If the driver shows symptoms of tiredness such as erratic or jerky driving, the system sends out both an audible warning and a visual signal.

“The system is invisible if you are driving well,” says Peter Kronberg, who led the technical development of DAS for Volvo Trucks. “It isn’t something that will require your attention or unnecessarily distract you while you are on the road. However, when it makes itself known, it does so for a very good reason – to warn you that you are a danger on the road and it is time for you to do something about it.”

However, driving ability is affected in a variety of ways in addition to the obvious consequences of actually falling asleep.

“You think more slowly, you take longer to remember things, you find it more difficult to learn new things and respond more slowly to simple stimuli,” says Professor Åkerstedt. “Studies have also shown that you lose control over your emotions. Being emotionally unstable is naturally not a positive characteristic when you are behind the wheel since this impairs your judgement.”

Truck drivers in focus

In one National Transportation Safety Board study, 52 per cent of single-vehicle accidents involving heavy trucks were fatigue-related, and in nearly 18 per cent of cases the driver admitted to falling asleep. The European SafetyNet (2009) Fatigue survey revealed that 60 per cent of all heavy vehicle drivers have experienced drowsiness behind the wheel. However, a Finnish study* reveals that truck drivers are less likely to fall asleep behind the wheel than other road users and are involved in fewer accidents per kilometre, but because of the sheer amount of time they spend driving, they are still an important group to examine.

The average long-haul driver sleeps 4.6 nights a week in the cab, according to surveys carried out by Volvo Trucks. This was underlined when the company asked 2,200 long-haul truck drivers to prioritise fifteen different in-cab parameters, because top of the list was ‘rest’ and ‘sleep comfort’. Today’s driving and rest regulations for truck drivers can only improve safety if the statutory rest period really does offer proper relaxation.

“A good driver’s environment is one of Volvo’s hallmarks, but it’s also as much about another of our core values – safety,” explains Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks. “A poorly designed driver’s environment results in poorer road safety, but a driver who is tired because they have slept badly is actually even worse.”

So Volvo has redesigned the bunk area of its sleeper cabs to help drivers sleep better, thereby keeping them more alert behind the wheel the next day. Beds are adjustable, mattresses are available in different firmness levels and there is a choice of overlay mattresses to meet each individual driver’s preferences.

Take a break

So, what should you do if you feel you are getting tired while driving? “Drowsiness can be counteracted by drinking plenty of coffee or taking frequent breaks,” says Professor Åkerstedt. “However, after a break you’re only alert for another 15 to 30 minutes and the more tired you are, the faster you’ll become tired and sleepy again after each break. As such, it’s vital to be aware of your tiredness, so that you can choose to act before it gets too late.”

Co-ordinated by TISPOL, the European Traffic Police Network, the operation saw police carrying out a wide range of safety inspections that focused on speeding, alcohol, drugs, seatbelt use, tachograph infringements, excess weight, dangerous loading and document offences.

A total of 41,379 offences were reported, including the following:

· 477 drivers for alcohol and drug offences

· 9,237 offences of exceeding the speed limit

· 9,925 instances of drivers exceeding their maximum permitted time at the wheel

· 2,247 overweight trucks and 1,582 insecure loads. Of the 2,419 trucks prohibited from continuing their journeys, most were because of technical defects on the vehicles

· A number of countries also carried out checks for illegal immigration and people trafficking, as well as the transporting of illegal drugs, firearms and stolen goods. A total of 71 crimes were detected for these activities including 10 for illegal immigration, eight for illegal drugs, two for firearms offences and seven for stolen goods.

TISPOL President Pasi Kemppainen said: “TISPOL is committed to safer, more secure roads across Europe. Key to this is improved monitoring of large goods vehicles, their drivers and their cargoes. We know that the vast majority of truck drivers and operators take a pride in the quality and safety of their work, and we strive to support them. We find they value the work we do, and co-operation with them at the roadside is generally excellent.

“It is against the less scrupulous operators, who put profits first and who will cut safety corners in the process, that our efforts are focused. We are also working to ensure a more consistent enforcement of current laws governing large goods vehicle safety.”

The exercise involved a simulated serious crash in one of the tunnel bores between a tanker, a minibus, and other vehicles.

The completion of a major improvement project on the tunnel in May this year included improved lighting and ventilation through the 0.7 mile-long tunnel. New fire safety systems were also installed and critical areas of the tunnel structure were protected with passive fire protection. CCTV cameras to help traffic officers spot and clear up incidents in the tunnel more quickly were also installed.

Last night’s exercise included a complicated scenario, with artificial smoke to reduce visibility, a vehicle carrying LPG, and risk of leakage of an environmental pollutant all testing the response by the services involved.

Volunteer actors played the role of casualties who suffered a variety of injuries and trauma, and had to be safely rescued from the tunnel.

Eamonn Colgan, senior project manager for the Highways Agency, said: “Simulations like this are essential to ensure our readiness to deal swiftly and effectively with any incidents in this tunnel, and other similar structures on our network. The exercise successfully demonstrated the ability of the organisations taking part to work together in an emergency situation, and helped to ensure that the emergency procedures and equipment in place performed well.

“We would like to thank road users for their patience in using the diversion route whilst the exercise took place.”

Representatives of the police, ambulance, fire and rescue service, Highways Agency, local authority, and St John Ambulance all took part, as well as other organisations closely involved in public safety and the management of the tunnel.

Chief Inspector Donna Pierce of Hertfordshire Police said: “Police officers have a highly important role in helping to ensure public safety and welfare at significant incidents like the one simulated in this exercise. Working in partnership with the Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service, and other authorities, our procedures and communications worked well to deliver an effective command structure, and our officers gained invaluable further experience in working in an unusual environment.”

The tunnel refurbishment, which began in 2009, was part of a 30 year deal to maintain and improve the M25, awarded by the Highways Agency to private company Connect Plus in 2009.

Statistics show that cyclist injuries caused by collisions with HGVs are much more likely to be serious or fatal. In its 2006 ‘Cyclists and Lorries’ fact sheet The Royal Society for the Prevention of Road Accidents (ROSPA) reported that the percentage of cyclist fatalities caused by crashes with HGVs was 22 per cent across the UK. In the same year, nine of the 19 cyclists who died on London’s roads were involved in a collision with a goods vehicle.

The Cyclist Warning Display System comprises two parts; the externally mounted LED Display Module (26cmx22cmx7cm) and the internally mounted Control Box. The Display Module communicates with cyclists and is mounted to the near side of the vehicle at the rear. It displays an image of a bicycle and the word ‘STOP’. When the driver indicates to turn, these images are triggered to illuminate amber, warning cyclists that a manoeuvre is imminent.

There are optional audio warnings available; a standard alarm that attracts the cyclist’s attention to the display; and a fully programmable version that allows messages to be played, such as ‘Warning, vehicle turning left’.

The system works in conjunction with ISS reversing radars, providing additional detection and driver warning. With this system the CWDS is not triggered by the indicator mechanism but instead by the presence of any object that is detected within the detection zone.

Gavin Thoday, Director, Innovative Safety Systems commented: “In a market place inundated with products that alert driver of obstacles in blind spots there are virtually none that provide information to cyclists. The CWDS does just that, by warning cyclists and that a potentially dangerous manoeuvre is about to occur and placing the onus on them to act accordingly.”

The first CWDS will be in use by mid-October and Gavin is confident that it will prove to be a popular item of safety technology.

Gavin added: “The system is suitable for all HGVs or any suitable vehicle that operates in a busy urban environment. We have consulted with local authorities and the private sector to develop a system that is flexible and can be tailored for different vehicles and operational requirements.”

Based in Leicestershire, ISS is a one-stop shop vehicle safety and efficiency provider encompassing product development, supply, maintenance and service. ISS products include reverse camera systems, vehicle CCTV, hard disk recording (DVR), reversing radar, fuel saving module, vehicle tracking, LED lighting and warning beacons.

For more information about the Cyclist Warning Display System or any other ISS product contact the ISS Team on 01455 557274 or email info@iss-international.co.uk

“Now it’s time to nominate the candidates for the 2011 EuroTra ‘Safety and Innovation’ Award,” says Carl Johan Almqvist, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks and a member of the EuroTra jury. “By supporting this award we hope to draw more attention to traffic safety issues and to influence others to continue to work with this important area.”

“As ‘safety’ is one of our core values, Volvo Trucks is working on all fronts to improve safety and minimise the risks and consequences of road accidents. Not least with our driver training programme,” adds Carl Johan Almqvist.

Nominations for the EuroTra ‘Safety and Innovation’ Award – which close on 16th September 2011 – are being sought from all over Europe. For more details or an application form, please contact James Tillyer, Campaign Manager, on : jtillyer@fta.co.uk

The jury selects the winning proposal among the applications which best meet all or several of the following criteria:

· Presents a clear link with road safety and encourages a continuous process in the area of road safety

· Has a connection with the benefits of training and education

· Helps solve environmental issues in the road transport industry

· Is innovative in its nature

Their calls come as research published today shows that seven in 10 drivers (71%) have lost concentration at the wheel in the past year because of stress caused by inconsiderate road users, worries about work or tension at home. It also found that two in five drivers (42%) have lost concentration because of distractions from other people in the vehicle.

The survey of 841 drivers revealed that drivers are more likely to lose concentration because of stress caused by other road users’ behaviour, than worries about work or their personal life.

In the past year:

· 60% have driven while not concentrating because they felt stressed, annoyed or upset because of the behaviour of other road users

· 44% of drivers lost concentration because they were thinking about personal issues that made them feel stressed, annoyed or upset

· 39% have driven while not concentrating because of work stress

Bank holiday journeys can be stressful because of the heat, busy roads and a backseat full of bickering kids, so it’s easy for drivers to forget that their number one priority should be focusing on the road and ensuring the family arrives safely. It only takes a second’s lapse in concentration to cause a death or injury, so Brake and Direct Line are calling on drivers to keep their mind on the road and pull over if they feel overwhelmed and unable to concentrate.

Ellen Booth, Brake senior campaigns officer, said: “Every death and serious injury on the roads is devastating and tears families apart. All too often these casualties result from careless errors that could easily be avoided if drivers gave their full attention to the road. People live busy, complicated lives, and driving over the bank holiday can be especially stressful, so it’s easy to understand why people get distracted. But driving is a massive responsibility because of the harm you can cause, so when you’re behind the wheel you must put safety first and stay focused. If you are so upset or angry that you can’t give driving your full attention, you need to pull over and cool off.”

Andy Goldby, director of motor underwriting at Direct Line, said: “There is no easy solution to prevent being distracted by stress when you’re behind the wheel. We advise motorists to plan ahead to try and avoid stressful routes and to take regular breaks if you’re feeling distracted during a car journey, no matter what the cause of the driver’s stress.”

An eagle-eyed member of staff first noticed the protected birds roosting near a mobile concrete production unit at the site compound – next to junction 29 near Upminster – and set about making a nesting box for them. Since then, six chicks have hatched and the team are now following the new family’s progress on a webcam set up to monitor the nest.

Brett Erwin, a plant supervisor working for Lafarge – the company supplying concrete to the major road scheme – was the first to spot the birds and had no hesitation in taking them under his wing.

Brett said: “I’ve always been interested in wildlife – at school I took forestry lessons and used to make bird boxes. I think the kestrels were attracted to the batching plant by the warmth from the heaters that are used in the concrete production process. It looked like they were searching for somewhere to nest and I thought that maybe I could help.”

After looking up designs on the internet Brett, in agreement with site bosses, set to work with wood and nails and the finished box was then fixed on the side of the concrete silo.

Brett said: “I was really excited when I saw the kestrels using the box – it provides a safe place for them to set up home and means that, when the batching plant is removed at the end of the project, we can move them to nearby countryside while disturbing them as little as possible.”

“In April I put a little camera up to film inside the box and now we have a continuous feed from the nest. It was really interesting to see the birds settling in. The female would sit on the six eggs while the male went hunting. He sits on top of the box with mice in his beak. Occasionally she will fly off for a little while to stretch her wings. Now that the eggs have actually hatched it is absolutely fantastic, and the family is doing really well. It won’t be long now before the chicks fly the nest.”

With their pointed wings and long tails, kestrels are a familiar sight along UK motorways and other big roads as they use thermals from the road to hover while they look for prey. They are known to make their homes in a number of environments, from moor and heath land to city centres. The RSPB estimate that there are around 38,000 breeding pairs of kestrels in the UK, and the bird is on their amber list of protected species.

Sij Dhanju, senior project manager for the Highways Agency said: “The nesting kestrels are an unexpected highlight in the motorway widening scheme, which is bringing much needed extra capacity to the M25 in Essex and is being carried out to the highest environmental standards.”

The M25 is being widened by Connect Plus on behalf of the Highways Agency, under a 30 year contract to maintain and improve the whole M25. Discovery of the kestrels has not disrupted progress on the scheme in any way.

It is expected that the kestrel family will continue using the box throughout the coming months. This winter, the box will be removed from the side of the concrete batcher and moved to a nearby tree in the hope that the kestrels will have continued success in future years.

However, country by country statistics, show that the number of deaths still varies greatly across the EU. Most countries achieved double-digit reductions in the number of road deaths over the past year, the best ones being Luxembourg (33 per cent), Malta (29 per cent) Sweden (26 per cent) and Slovakia (26 per cent). However there is still a lot of work to be done.

European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for Transport, said: “It is very encouraging that nearly all Member States have managed to significantly reduce their number of road deaths, but there is no room for complacency. A hundred people still die on Europe’s roads every day. We have made good progress since 2001 and we have succeeded in saving nearly 100,000 lives. But the number of fatalities and injuries on our roads is still unacceptable. We want to cut the number deaths by half by 2020. For this we will be looking at what kind of cars people drive, where they drive and how they drive.”

The attached table – “road fatalities per country” – shows progress under the 2001-10 road safety action plan, with EU-wide figures and a breakdown per country. It includes the most recent figures for 2010.

EU road safety action plan

In July 2010 the Commission adopted challenging plans to reduce the number of road deaths on Europe’s roads by half in the next 10 years. Initiatives proposed in the “European Road Safety Policy Orientations 2011-2020″ range from setting higher standards for vehicle safety, to improving the training of road users, and increasing the enforcement of road rules. The Commission is working closely with Member States to implement this programme.

Road safety action programme 2011-20:

The Road Safety action programme sets out a mix of initiatives focussing on making improvements to vehicles, infrastructure and road users’ behaviour.

There are seven strategic objectives:

Improved safety measures for trucks and cars

Building safer roads

Developing intelligent vehicles

Strengthening licensing and training

Better enforcement

Targeting injuries

A new focus on motorcyclists.

European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, responsible for Transport said: “The four big killers like speeding and drunk driving are still responsible for thousands of needless deaths on Europe’s roads, and each death shatters a family’s life. We know that a foreign driver is three times more likely to commit an offence than a resident driver. These new rules should have a powerful deterrent effect and change behaviour. Many people still seem to think that when they go abroad the rules no longer apply to them. My message is that they do apply and now we are going to apply them.”

EU figures suggest that foreign drivers account for 5% of traffic but around 15 % of speeding offences. Most go unpunished, with countries unable to pursue drivers once they return home.

The proposals

The proposal for a Directive on cross border enforcement in the field of road safety aims to remedy that situation. Ministers have reached an agreement on a text that targets traffic offences with a critical impact on road safety, including the four “big killers” causing 75 per cent of road fatilities:

Speeding

Failing to stop at traffic lights

Failing to wear seatbelts

Drink driving

As well as;

Driving under influence of drugs

Failing to wear safety helmets

Illegal use of an emergency lane

Illegal use of mobile phone while driving.

The proposals would enable EU drivers to be identified and thus prosecuted for offences committed in a Member State other than then one where their vehicle is registered. In practical terms, the new rules will allow for an electronic data exchange network to be put in place to allow for the exchange of the necessary data between the country in which the offence was committed and the country in which the vehicle is registered. Once the owner’s name and address are known, a letter of information, for which a model is established by the proposed Directive, will be sent to him/her.

It will be for the Member State of offence (where the offence was committed) to decide on the follow up for the traffic offence. The Directive does not harmonise either the nature of the offence nor the penalties for the offence. So it is the national rules in the Member State of offence, according to national law, which will continue to apply regarding both the nature of the offence and penalties .

The legislative proposals need final approval by Member State Governments before becoming law – this should happen in the coming weeks.There is then a two year period for Member States to transpose EU legislation before it comes into force, possibly by 2013.

Goodyear Dunlop asked over 5,600 motorists in 15 countries across Europe for their views on the demands and distractions of summer driving as part of its 2011 ‘Leave Prepared, Arrive Safe’ Road Safety campaign.

The survey established that sizeable percentages of drivers don’t do all they could to ensure the trip is safe and relaxing. For example:

One in eight would wait until after the holiday to change tyres worn close to the legal limit

One in three are not very likely to check the tyres’ air pressure or the level of oil in the engine before setting off on their summer holiday

One in three are unsure how to store heavy items or where the safest place for a pet is in the car on summer holiday

One in three are likely to drive while feeling stressed and one in four are likely to drive while tired

One in three have also driven five or more hours on holiday without taking a 30 minute break

Moreover, four in ten or more have experienced stressful situations while driving on their summer holiday, such as being stuck in a traffic jam for more than one hour (67%), had a passenger be car sick (43%) or had an argument with a passenger (41%).

Holidaymakers can reduce the risks to their safety by preparing their vehicles correctly; securing items inside the car properly and being careful and considerate on the roads.

The ‘giant step forward’ for pedestrian safety is the culmination of years of intensive research undertaken and commissioned by Thatcham, the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre.

AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) systems incorporate a raft of cutting edge initiatives tested by Thatcham, utilise a variety technologies to automatically stop a car before it hits a pedestrian, including radar, camera and lasers.

Test results show that once incorporated in to all production models more than 650 serious injuries and 64 fatalities could be prevented in Britain each year.

A total of more than 2,700 pedestrian casualties will be prevented in Britain each year.

Ninety two per cent of pedestrian collisions occur at speeds of 30mph or under – within the performance limits of most new safety systems.

The ground-breaking research, carried out at Thatcham and Loughborough University, has identified for the first time the most common crash situations, which have been used to define test procedures that will allow the new systems to be rated.

Teams of researchers accompanied emergency services to record real life data at the scene of hundreds of accidents across the country.

Some of the AEB systems will also make a massive impact by preventing over 160,000 painful and debilitating whiplash injuries caused each year by the most common crash – the rear end shunt.

Sixteen thousand of these whiplash injuries are rated as serious with 1,600 causing permanent disability or impairment.

A total of more than 270,000 crashes will be either prevented or mitigated once the systems are ubiquitous across the fleet.

Matthew Avery, Thatcham Research Manager Crash said: “These systems are set to make a massive impact on the number and severity of accidents on British roads and beyond.

“I believe that in time they will prove as or more effective than the arrival of ESC (Electronic Stability Control) have been over the last decade or so.

“We are working alongside vehicle manufacturers to help develop them further in the future – and would encourage the inclusion of such systems as standard fit in new cars.

Six systems have been under test from vehicle manufacturers as diverse as BMW, Ford, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo and Mercedes.

It is hoped that the Thatcham AEB protocols, now being developed, will be considered in any future Euro NCAP testing procedures for new car safety ratings.

Ford’s Driver Alert uses advanced technology and sophisticated algorithms to analyse driver performance and issues a warning if the driver shows signs of drowsiness or erratic steering.

“Driver fatigue is a serious problem and one that can affect anyone,” said

Ford engineer Margareta Nieh, who helped develop Driver Alert and is an expert on drowsy driver behaviour. “When drivers become drowsy they tends to drift off line as they lose concentration and then make sudden corrective steering inputs. What we’ve developed is a Driver Alert system that picks up on these erratic driving movements by detecting sideways yaw.”

The Driver Alert system comprises a small forward-facing camera connected to an on-board computer. The camera is mounted on the back of the rear-view mirror and is trained to identify lane markings on both sides of the vehicle.

When the vehicle is on the move, the computer looks at the road ahead and predicts where the car should be positioned relative to the lane markings. It then measures where the vehicle actually is and if the difference is significant, the system issues a warning.

Malcolm Bingham, Head of Road Network Management Policy, said: “There is no doubt that a focus on how to behave around lorries will improve road safety immeasurably and save lives. All road users, whether on two wheels, four or sixteen, have a responsibility to each other to act safely.

“A section devoted to HGVs in the Highway Code will engender greater consideration between road users. We are delighted the Government has committed to these proposals which we have fought for since 2006 when the Code was revised.”

FTA has championed sensible guidance appropriate to all road users to ensure a better understanding of sharing the roads safely.

Bingham concluded: “We will work with Government and its agencies to ensure the right messages are delivered to create clear guidance.”

This poll followed the prosecution of a driver last month, who was fined £175 and ordered to pay £250 costs after warning several approaching cars of a speed check. Nearly 70 per cent of respondents to the poll said that a driver should not be prosecuted for warning others – only 21 per cent believe they should.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: “The biggest reason for not flashing to warn of a speed check is safety, with ‘drivers who speed deserve to be caught and fined’ and ‘the meaning of the flash could be misinterpreted’, each polling a third of the votes from those who don’t flash.

“However, safety was also used as a major justification for those who do flash to warn of speed checks, with nearly 20 per cent saying they ‘wanted to avoid a possible collision when drivers see the speed check late and brake harshly in response’. The driver who was prosecuted for using his lights justified his behaviour by stating he used his lights to warn of a hazard.”

Flashing appears to be an accepted form of communication between drivers. Nearly 35 per cent of respondents say they ‘use their lights to tell other drivers they are giving way to them’, and 30 per cent ‘use them to thank another driver for giving way to them’. Less than 10 per cent of drivers said that they don’t flash at all.

Nearly 45 per cent of drivers feel that the Highway Code should contain a standardised code of what flashes mean. The fact that nearly as many people use their lights to thank another driver, as those who use them to invite another driver to come through, suggests there could be confusion as to what message people are trying to get across.

Rodger said: “Reassuringly, fewer than 10 per cent of respondents admit to using their lights aggressively to signal annoyance at what they consider bad behaviour on the other drivers’ part. So while the meaning of flashes is fuzzy, at least people don’t seem to feel it is an acceptable way to take out anger on other road users.”

“Both drivers and employers need to realise that Traffic Commissioners can and do take action against both LGV Licences and Operators Licences” said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning. “Employers should have clear policies and procedures in place to ensure that road safety is not jeopardised and drivers must be provided with the right equipment so that they can drive safely at all times.

“As the UK’s leading road freight transport body, we take every opportunity to emphasise the professionalism shown by HGV drivers in this country”, said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning. “The road freight industry has a good safety record, largely as a result of excellent initiatives by enforcement bodies, so it is disappointing to see that there are drivers who continue to use their mobile telephones while driving.

“It appears that there are STILL drivers out there who continue to flout the law, despite the risks of prosecution, suspension of their licence or, even worse, causing a crash. They are nothing more than a risk to themselves and to other road users.”

Under the new powers it will be an offence to keep an uninsured vehicle, rather than just to drive when uninsured.

Currently every responsible motorist pays an average £30 each year within their premiums to cover crashes involving uninsured and untraced drivers. It is also estimated that uninsured and untraced drivers kill 160 people and injure 23,000 every year.

Mike Penning said: “Uninsured drivers push up premiums for other motorists and often drive with no regard for other road users, so it is vital that we do everything we can to keep them off the roads.

“More than 400 uninsured vehicles are already being seized by the police every day but it is simply not possible to catch every uninsured driver in this way. That is why we are bringing in these new powers which will help us to take targeted action while freeing up police time to deal with the hard core of offenders.”

Ashton West, Chief Executive at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, said: “Today’s news marks a significant step forward in the fight against uninsured driving. This means that as enforcement can take place for both keeping and driving a vehicle without insurance there will be no place for illegal motorists to hide.

“Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) will complement and run alongside existing police roadside enforcement, which has already reduced uninsured driving by 20%.”

Under the new system:

· The DVLA will work in partnership with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau to identify uninsured vehicles

· Motorists will receive a letter telling them that their vehicle appears to be uninsured and warning them that they will be fined unless they take action

· If the keeper fails to insure the vehicle they will be given a £100 fine

· If the vehicle remains uninsured – regardless of whether the fine is paid – it could then be seized and destroyed.

Vehicles with a valid Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) will not be required to be insured.

The Department for Transport today made the Commencement Order to make it an offence to be the registered keeper of a vehicle which does not have insurance, as well as regulations to support this. Further regulations will be made shortly, allowing the scheme to come into force in the Spring.

The Yearbook of Road Transport Law 2011 is designed to keep transport operators fully aware of all aspects of road transport legislation and other relevant areas, such as health and safety.

The 2011 Yearbook, written and compiled by FTA’s team of transport legislation experts, now includes:

· New information on conspicuity markings

· A revised section on mixed driving (driving under both EU and GB domestic drivers’ hours rules)

· Enhanced information on convictions that can be taken into consideration by Traffic Commissioners

· Details of how drivers can obtain a statement of Driver CPC periodic training from the Driving Standards Agency

· A new, enhanced table of operator licensing exemptions, including full definitions

· Details of the new concession to delay weekly rest for certain passenger operations

One free Yearbook is delivered to every FTA member during January. Additional copies are available from Shopfta on 08717 11 11 11, or 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.shop.fta.co.uk Prices, which have been held at 2010 levels, are £37.00 a copy for FTA members or £79.00 for non-members, with discounts for multiple orders. Please quote product code 4501.

To help drivers carry out their job safely, legally and professionally, FTA also publishes a newly updated Drivers’ Handbook and Van Drivers’ Handbook and the Dangerous Goods Drivers’ Handbook – details available from Shopfta.

The £140,000 Highways Agency project, which involves installing improved signing on gantries along the southbound carriageway between Junctions 31a and 31, will get underway on Monday (January 10) and should be completed by Sunday, January 23.

The work will only be taking place overnight – between 9pm and 6am – with one lane open along the main carriageway and a 50mph speed limit in place for about three miles.

To allow for safe working on the gantries, the southbound entry slip road at Junction 31a and the southbound exit slip road at Junction 31 will also be subject to three consecutive overnight closures – between 9pm and 6am – from Tuesday (January 11). A signed diversion will be in place.

The scheme will also deliver improved, more energy-efficient sign lighting.

Highways Agency Project Sponsor Phil Davies said, “Clearer signing along this part of the M6 should improve safety and lane discipline – giving better traffic flows along what is one of the busiest sections of the M6 in Lancashire.

“This relatively small scheme is part of our ongoing work in Lancashire, alongside partners like the safer roads partnership, to help reduce road casualties across the county.

“As always we have timed the work to minimise inconvenience to drivers but anyone travelling southbound and planning to enter the M6 at Junction 31a or leave at Junction 31 over the next week or so should take note of the dates when those slip roads will be closed.”

Up to 140,000 vehicles use this section of the M6 each day.

The IoTA Driver CPC Consortium is able to offer a wide range of courses throughout the country.

In addition to the basic package, the IoTA will offer Driver CPC Plus (which is not compulsory.) This is being offered at no extra cost, it will consist of a 30-minute test after completion of the days training.

All trainers are required to attend an IoTA Train the Trainer course to ensure trainers meet the standards set by the Institute. All courses are subject to spot checks by Institute assessors to assure the high standards are uniformly maintained.

The programmes have been approved by the Department for Transport, supported by the Traffic Commissioners and Skills for Logistics. (DfT, VOSA, Businesslink and other web links are in the process of being updated to reflect this change)

The Institute’s Director of Education and Training Eric Davies FInstTA said, “The programmes have been developed to satisfy the requirements of EU Regulation 1071/2009. They provide successful candidates with the necessary knowledge and skills to satisfy the Traffic Commissioners of their professional competence and exemption from obtaining the OCR Certificate of Professional Competence”.

The programmes are vocational related qualifications (VRQ) and are competence based. They are modular and can be completed over a period of time enabling candidates to plan study around their work and private lives.

The programmes consist of a number of work related open book case studies with a series of modules covering all aspects of the legislation. They culminate with an open book final assessment, which will be taken under exam conditions.

Successful candidates will receive a certificate from the Institute, which will be accepted as satisfying the competence requirements by the Traffic Commissioners for applicants for an Operator’s Licence.

There are no formal training manuals. Candidates are required to build a portfolio based on the case studies with research being undertaken to obtain information from various sources including the internet.

It is recommended that whichever programme is undertaken, it should be tutor supported. However, it can be undertaken as a distance-learning project but candidates should ensure that they have the support of a mentor. Tutors and Mentors will be drawn from the Institute’s network of training providers.

Davies explained: “dependent on the programme being undertaken, candidates will be required to complete between two and five case studies each with two modules. Each module will include at least 12 questions. The candidate will be allowed four hours to complete the final assessment”.

Details of these programs can be obtained from the Institute’s head office – tel 01525 634940, email director@iota.org.uk

The Health and Safety Executive has repeatedly highlighted waste management as an industry with a high accident rate, and people who work alongside vehicles at the roadside are particularly vulnerable. In 2007, there was a fatal accident when a heavy goods vehicle collided with a caged litter vehicle, with a crew member working on the grass verge.

Gavin Thoday, Director, ISS said: “To prevent such tragic accidents it is important that vehicles working on highways, and especially those accompanied by pedestrian workers, are as visible as possible. Fitting a ‘Caution Workers’ lightboard to the rear and the front of the vehicle is an effective way to alert traffic coming from both directions that there are people working near a vehicle.”

ISS design, manufacture and supply high intensity LED light boards that can be fitted internally or externally to refuse vehicles, caged vehicles, road sweepers and any vehicle where there are workers in close proximity. ISS have designed a new exterior ultra-rugged waterproof lightboard that is durable and robust in the most demanding conditions.

West Lindsey District Council is equipping its new fleet of Refuse Collection Vehicles with the full lighting package from ISS, including LED strobe lights and ‘Caution Workers’ lightboards fitted to both the front and rear end of the vehicles.

Kevin Johnson, Resources & Transport Manager, West Lindsey District Council: “The safety of our crews and the public is of the utmost importance to us. These boards and warning lights make our vehicles more visible, and help to protect our staff and members of the public. Ultimately our aim is to reduce the risk of accidents occuring.”

The three parties have signed a Memorandum of Agreement, a formal document which sets out the key principles of VOSA enforcement activities at ports.

The principles are:

Where there is no reasonable alternative to carrying out checks at ports, VOSA should be given access to suitable areas within the ports to enable the checking of vehicles at times agreed with the ports;

Vehicle checks carried out within or in close proximity to ports will be coordinated and conducted at a level which maintains fair competition between the ports and are proportionate to checks carried out at competing ports and inland checkpoints;

The checking of vehicles is to be conducted in such a way as to minimise disruption to the smooth flow of traffic through the port;

All detailed arrangements of how checks will be conducted to be the subject of local agreements between port authorities and VOSA’s operational managers.

VOSA’s Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said: “I am delighted that we have been able to negotiate this agreement which will help VOSA carry out essential checks on vehicles coming into Britain and make sure they are in a fit state to be on the roads.

“VOSA has been working at ports for many years but today’s agreement signals a greater commitment than ever before from ports and terminals to help VOSA carry out its vital work in making Britain’s roads safer.”

Currently customers book their tests using a combination of fax, email, post, over the counter at test stations or online. Under the new proposals bookings will be made using VOSA’s online test booking service or by telephone and payment can be made by credit or debit card, or through a pre-funded account.

VOSA’s Chief Executive Alastair Peoples said:

“We want to make booking a test faster and more efficient so that it is easier for the industry to be compliant. Enabling customers to book tests on-line and by telephone will help us achieve this and will make sure that our customers are receiving a consistently high level of service.”

Using the online or telephone service means that customers will be able to:

• check available dates and times at any VOSA test station making it easier for customers to get a test time that suits them;

• receive immediate confirmation so that they don’t need to spend time phoning or faxing VOSA;

• make secure payments.

This proposal does not change the way tests are booked at Authorised Test Facilities (ATFs) and Designated Premises (DPs).

The consultation will run until 9th March 2011 and is available here: www.vosa.gov.uk/consultationpapers

“The DfT’s relaxation is an appropriate and proportionate response., that will assist hauliers affected by the severe weather to ensure supplies in a responsible manner,” says director of policy Jack Semple.

The Department for Transport has agreed to a temporary, and limited, emergency relaxation (not suspension) of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours and working-time rules for hauliers involved directly in the distribution of food to and from distribution centres and to food stores in Great Britain.

The temporary and limited relaxation of enforcement begins at 00.00 on 24 December 2010 and runs until 23.59 on Monday 27 December 2010 and will apply only to those drivers involved in the distribution of food to and from distribution centres and to food stores in Great Britain.

This notification, along with other notifications and guidance, will shortly also be found online at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/drivingforwork/drivershoursandtachographrules/emergencyexemption/.

These materials can also be accessed via Business Link at the following address: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/transport.

Use of winter tyres, the short term stacking of lorries to allow snow clearing and gritting on major roads and specific messaging for HGV drivers are among measures being considered by the Scottish Government, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association.

Following a productive meeting earlier today between Finance Secretary, John Swinney, Transport Minister Keith Brown and the RHA and FTA, work will be taken forward to consider how the freight industry can contribute to ensure that we are best prepared for future severe winter weather.

There was agreement between all parties that in acute circumstances the Government, operating with the police, may have to intervene to stack HGVs for the minimum time possible, so as to allow gritters to clear the major roads. This measure is part of the Government’s 6 point plan and having agreement from the industry will ensure that this operation can be carried out as smoothly as possible.

The Scottish Government, at the request of the industry, also agreed to investigate the development of specific road advice for HGV drivers.

There was also discussion around what preventable action could be taken in terms of improving the industry’s resilience to severe winter weather. The Scottish Government, working in partnership with the freight trade associations, will undertake a cost-benefit exercise on the use of winter tyres, looking to persuade the industry to fit these for winter 2011.

The meeting also discussed the valuable assistance provided to industry through the various relaxations of enforcement of EU Drivers’ Hours rules which had been secured from Department for Transport. Industry suggested an alternative approach for setting relaxation periods, which Scottish Government will raise with the UK Government.

Speaking after the meeting Transport Minister, Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government and our Agencies continue to work round-the-clock to keep Scotland moving and the industry recognise that we are doing everything that we can. HGV drivers are the lifeblood of our transport network, working hard to get goods to supermarkets and vital fuel supplies across the country.

“We recognise that HGVs are victims of weather disruption too. That’s why it is important that we all work together to minimise any potential disruption for all travellers.

“Our meeting today has raised some practical issues around how we can work together to ensure that we are prepared for the remainder of this winter and in future years, particularly if the unprecedented weather conditions experienced in recent days are to become more common-place. We need to continue to look at the efficiency and effectiveness of Scotland as a country in dealing with winter and I am pleased that we will continue to work in partnership with the industry in taking this work forward.

Phil Flanders, Director for Scotland and Northern Ireland, the Road Haulage Association said: “I am pleased that we have the opportunity to have a positive input to the Government’s bad weather plans and look forward to continued co operation to achieve a balanced approach to keep all traffic flowing in the future.”