OVER 50 CYCLISTS and pedestrians have been killed on urban Irish roads since 2007 – and the RSA is appealing for road users to be aware of each other.
To mark the start of Bike Week, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has launched a campaign to highlight a truck’s blind spots.
Due to their size and design, a truck driver’s field of vision, within a cab, is limited; the area immediately in front, behind and to the left of the vehicle is often hidden from view. This means cyclists and pedestrians are at an increased risk of being struck.
In Ireland’s urban areas alone, between 2007 and May 2015, 54 Vulnerable Road Users (cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists) were killed in collisions involving trucks. This was 20% of all deaths of cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists.
For Moyagh Murdock, the chief executive of the RSA, the message is simple:
If you cannot see the driver, the driver cannot see you. Cyclists need to be aware of the existence of the ‘Danger Zone’ on trucks and should never ride along the kerb side of a truck, especially if it’s turning left.
“Truck drivers too need to be aware of the fact that the mirrors on their cab will not always give them a total view of any cyclists that may be riding alongside or behind the vehicle. So drivers should lookout for cyclists at junctions and especially when turning left.”
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