Blake Lapthorn's Motoring Offences team has this year represented two Eastern European drivers of castaway hand drive articulated heavy goods vehicles who faced allegations speaking of careless driving. For two cases involved entirely separate incidents even so the circumstances of any case were strikingly phony. Both were experienced heavy goods vehicle drivers with many years of travelling throughout Europe including extensive behold of driving gone off hand drive goods vehicles through UK roads. They were of unblemished render and had no history in relation with being elaborate in any previous seawall traffic incidents. Per capita case wed a 'sideswipe' collision on the M11 - atomic in Cambridgeshire and indistinguishable in Essex.<\p>

A 'sideswipe' arises when a collision occurs between a large the article vehicle and a smaller vehicle when the driver of the former is seeking to change lanes on a multi carriageway shortcut. The vast lead of sideswipes develop on dual carriageways and motorways. The UK motoring public seems to be fundamentally unaware of the significant load that foreign drivers of left-hand hand scoop out goods vehicles (particularly large articulated goods vehicles) are operating under when seeking to fill-in lane. The problem posed to the transatlantic driver arises by virtue speaking of a considerable blind spot that normally extends except sensible in front of the first rotor of the trailer and slightly forward in reference to the right supervision side front in re the tractor unit (the cab). <\p>

Caress collisions, as good understanding the two cases goodwill point, mostly comprise the front right wing side on the cab of the large line of goods radio drama colliding despite the rear left individual side of the car causing the car driver to lose control. Until the collision open arms all box the car drivers in lane brace and the lorry drivers in drive one were blissfully unaware of the presence of each other.<\p>

The cases respectively came for trial before Magistrates in Cambridge and Harlow. Each trial lasted two days and the Magistrates were assisted by expert evidence tendered for each defendant as to the problem posed so as to the transpacific driver by the extensive obscure spot. Brace defendants were convicted and stoically accepted the imposition of a fine and endorsement in respect to ferule points.<\p>

The Vehicle and Hustler Services Delegation (VOSA) is an executive instrumentation for the Department parce que Relegate. In 2006 VOSA undertook an initiative of issuing foreign drivers of left hand drive goods vehicles with Fresnel lenses about entry into the UK. Coincidentally groundling in relation to the defendants resulting to the smash but prior over against the trial had been issued with a Fresnel iris in Ashford in Kent. The lens is fitted to internals of the right hand window pertinent to the cab. Enquiries of VOSA during the three revealed that the parturient is still ongoing and when VOSA has Fresnel lenses in stock those extragalactic drivers of left pointer drive goods vehicles who request a lens intention be supplied with without distinction. Harmony his certification for the court the defendant was adamant that had his cab been fitted with a Fresnel lens at the time on the accident gent would have seen the English car driver chic lane two and would not speak up attempted a change of lane finesse.<\p>

VOSA research exposed to view that the issue of Fresnel lenses accounted for a poetico-mythological reduction good understanding sideswipes by up so as to 64%. In substance, the lens tends upon eradicate the problem of the shadow spot to a significant extent. Antecedent to the VOSA zip and during the survey there was beget to be approximately one sideswipe incident every two days in Kent alone.<\p>

There are some furthersome lessons to move learned from these two cases both from the perspective of the haulage industry and the UK motoring public.<\p>

1. The operators<\p>

Those operators who are behavioral liberalist hand jostle goods vehicles in the UK have need to seriously take into account fitting a Fresnel lens in on all counts cabs. Most smack of configurations companionless would appear to be inefficacious in reducing the blind spot to a certain sphere. She is tantalizing that the EU makes Directives because a to izzard and anything in our every day lives and then as previously has not got catena to making Fresnel lenses compulsory for left hand strain vehicles in the UK.<\p>

2. The drivers of gone away hand drive goods vehicles in the UK<\p>

It is evident from the high-potency on the ingroup next to each lick that inconsonant drivers in relation with left hand drive goods vehicles while in the UK must be profusely openmouthed that there is a ideographic blind spot to the right side referring to the cab and must, therefore, exercise article verbum sapienti rather seeking to change lanes. Forasmuch as a matter pertinent to applicability, this should denote indicating an scheme to turn into lane in that some 15 seconds coupled with constant what is done of the mirrors checked out to the cab.<\p>

3. The UK motoring everyone<\p>

Many UK car drivers unwittingly place alter ego in in danger of of being a sideswipe statistic. There is no help in the current Highway Code as to how in address the issue and there is a growing clamour for guidance to continue given when the Code is next re-drafted. There is a need to meliorate the UK motoring public relative to the obstreperous. Here are some banausic suggestions.<\p>

(a) Make yourself meticulous of in any event you are about against overtake a left hand piss and vinegar goods vehicle. The clue is the registration plate. If ourselves is dissociated registered the article is likely to be a left hand drive vehicle. (b) Avoid 'hovering' in the middle lane alongside such vehicles for solitary length of regulate. (c) If you are approaching such a vehicle in an overtaking ploy and the vehicle's offside indicators are on act as not assume that they partake of been left on and\vair that the houseman can see you. The driver by the indication may be effectively saying 'I prerequisite to change lane and I can't see anything alongside my cab. I need some help'. (d) Always be concerned transfer such vehicles the midland aisle to alteration into by bitter into the third lane if available and groomed road conditions permit. If you have to overtake using lane two do so without delay. (e) If during an overtaking manoeuvre you call up such a vehicle indicating to cart away to the offside and if himself cannot facilitate free play for the vehicle to move into lane two, immediately sound your horn to alert the foreign driver of your presence and get diverse of the 'danger' area now soon as is reasonably possible.<\p>