Skip to main content

Blind spot detection should be mandatory by 2015, say engineers

Collision-avoidance technologies which could help eliminate cyclist and pedestrian deaths caused by driver ‘blind-spots’ should be made mandatory for all UK buses and lorries by 2015, according to a new report published by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. The ‘Intelligent Transport Intelligent Society’ report also calls for eCall to be integrated into all new road vehicles within the next two years. “The alarming rise in cyclist deaths on British roads needs to be addressed urgently,” says Philippa
April 19, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Collision-avoidance technologies which could help eliminate cyclist and pedestrian deaths caused by driver ‘blind-spots’ should be made mandatory for all UK buses and lorries by 2015, according to a new report published by the 5025 Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

The ‘5023 Intelligent Transport Society’ report also calls for eCall to be integrated into all new road vehicles within the next two years.

“The alarming rise in cyclist deaths on British roads needs to be addressed urgently,” says Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. “Cyclist deaths have risen by seven per cent in the past year, with about eight cyclists being killed or seriously injured daily on British roads. A number of these deaths could be prevented if technology to prevent driver ‘blind spots’ were made mandatory for all large vehicles” Oldham said.

Heavy goods vehicles make up five per cent of the traffic on Britain’s roads yet cause 20 per cent of all fatal accidents involving cyclists. Making collision avoidance technologies mandatory for all large vehicles which prevent driver ‘blind-spots’ could make the roads safer for millions of cyclists across the UK. One example of a collision avoidance technology is Lateral Safe which is being developed by the European Council for Automotive Research & Development (EUCAR). This system uses sensors to warn drivers of obstacles and accident risks, such as cyclists, to the rear or side of the vehicle.

To download the full report click this link: %$Linker: External 0 0 0 oLinkExternal https://www.yousendit.com/download/M3BrSU5EQzc1bmhEZU1UQw Report Download false https://www.yousendit.com/download/M3BrSU5EQzc1bmhEZU1UQw false false%>

Related Content

  • May 31, 2013
    Connected cones make for safer sites
    David Crawford welcomes new lives for old road safety products. Traffic cones and barrels have traditionally been on the bottom shelf of the road construction and maintenance industry, typically forming visible soft safety barriers for temporary works at a lower cost than concrete alternatives. On both sides of the Atlantic, however, they are fast gaining new roles as instrumented components in advanced construction safety arrays. The EC-sponsored €1 million (US$1.31 million) Safelane collaborative innovati
  • August 17, 2012
    Fresh support from CrashMap
    Less than a year after it launched, CrashMap.co.uk has been updated with the all the latest UK government data on road traffic crashes and new features to help community groups and campaigners. The website uses data collected by the police about road traffic crashes occurring on British roads where someone is injured. This data is approved by the National Statistics Authority and reported on by the Department for Transport each year. The site uses data obtained directly from official sources but compiled in
  • October 23, 2012
    AISIN demonstrates array of automatic detection for road safety
    Vehicle technology manufacturer AISIN is exhibiting a complete array of sensor technology for road safety, including a system that detects if a driver has stopped breathing or suffered a heart attack. Highly sensitive sensors in the driver’s seat pick up on loss of cardiac, pulmonary or body movement, which could then activate vehicle braking while alerting emergency services. “There have been very serious road accidents caused by drivers having heart attacks or suffering other illnesses and losing control
  • October 8, 2018
    Netherlands bans electric carts after four children killed
    The Dutch government has banned electric carts following a road-rail collision which killed four children in the southern town of Oss. The Stint cart carrying the children - aged four to eight - was hit by a train at a level crossing, the BBC says. A witness heard the 32-year-old female driver from a daycare centre shout that her brakes had failed. The driver and a fifth child were seriously injured in the crash. Stints can carry up to 10 children who are strapped in with a s eatbelt. The driver is