Organisation: National Highways
Date of Campaign Launch: February 2023
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre: 23 March 2023
National Highways launched this new campaign amid concerns car and van drivers underestimate the limitations HGV drivers face in seeing passing vehicles.
In a recent survey commissioned by National Highways, while nearly three quarters of people said they take extra care when overtaking a HGV, 36% said they did not know how many blind spots a HGV had, while the same number also admitted feeling nervous when passing trucks.
The motorway and major A-road network National Highways operates plays a crucial role in supporting economic growth and tens of thousands of lorries rely on it every single day to connect products to people and businesses.
While HGVs now have additional mirrors fitted as standard, this has improved driver visibility but not completely eliminated ‘blind spots’.
In the campaign video – supported by the Road Haulage Association, Logistics UK and other HGV bodies – car and van drivers are urged to ‘know the zones’ where HGV drivers have limited visibility – at the front, rear and each side of their vehicle.
The advice for drivers is:
- Know the zones – HGVs have four zones around them where their visibility is limited – at the front, back and both sides. If you don’t know where they are, you could be sitting in one without even realising.
- Pass quickly and safely
- Where possible, don’t linger next to a HGV.
The National Highways campaign ran on radio, TV on demand, online video, social media, billboards and posters.
Click the following link to access the campaign press release and video: