'Update lorry driving tests' to cut cycling injuries
Haulage
7th November 2008
A rise in the number of cyclists being killed by HGV drivers could mean lorry driving tests need to be updated, it has been claimed.
Writing in the Independent, James Daley claims that while the number of cyclists killed in 2007 decreased slightly on the previous year, the number of people who were "seriously injured" increased by six per cent.
"Although it's certainly positive that the number of fatalities is falling, there can't be any complacency as long as the number of serious accidents is going in the opposite direction," he said.
In addition to preventing accidents on Britain's roads, measures to increase lorry safety could help haulage firms avoid costly insurance claims.
As well as updating driving tests, Mr Daley suggests that the government should also teach lorries to slow down while passing cyclists, as a vehicle travelling at 40 or 50 miles per hour could destabilise a cyclist and lead to an accident.
