Driving up van safety with Brigade
Safety technology provider Brigade Electronics UK has highlighted the specific challenges faced by van fleet operators in the effort to reduce the risk of accidents and danger to vulnerable road users.
With the recent introduction of the Highway Code hierarchy and enforcement of the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) in London, commercial vehicle safety is at the top of the agenda for all business owners, the company points out – with a lack of attention to the safety of employees and other road users potentially resulting in significant legal and emotional costs in terms of personal injury, as well as expenses owing to vehicle and property damage.
While the DVS in London has necessitated the fitment of safety systems such as cameras and sensors on vehicles of more than 12 tonnes if they do not meet the minimum one-star rating, for vans – which don’t fall into the parameters of the DVS regulation – permits and vehicle safety devices are not required.
Brigade cites recent research carried out by Euro NCAP and Thatcham Research, which revealed that in 2018, vans were involved in more incidents that resulted in fatal injuries to other road users, per mile travelled, than any other type of vehicle on the UK’s roads.
According to Thatcham Research, vans are also almost completely devoid of collision avoidance technology.
“We have been working closely with Logistics UK and its Van Excellence Standard to highlight the need for safety technology for vans,” said Emily Hardy, a commercial vehicle safety expert at Brigade Electronics UK (pictured, right).
“Since January 2021, changes to the Van Excellence Code have required all new vans entering fleets to be fitted with safety equipment, such as reversing alarms, sensors and cameras, to prevent collisions and protect vulnerable road users.
“This brings vans in line with larger commercial vehicles, particularly in the freight, haulage and construction industries that have been adhering to voluntary schemes, including Truck Excellence, FORS and CLOCS for more than a decade.”
Since these changes were implemented, Logistics UK has reported a huge rise in van safety standards, with more than 100 businesses and local authorities now choosing to operate their vans to the ‘highest standards of safety, compliance and efficiency’. These include Greggs, DHL International and South East Water.
Brigade Electronics says it is now working to encourage other van operators to understand the need for these vital safety features.
Emily added: “The results achieved by Logistics UK following the updates to the Van Excellence Code in 2021 have made a significant impact on ensuring van fleets are the safest they have ever been, and we are delighted with how the scheme continues to go from strength to strength.
“However, there is still work to be done and we will be continuing to work with Logistics UK to do everything we can to promote this important issue to professional van drivers and operators.
“Brigade recommends a combination of active systems and passive systems to assist the driver and draw their attention to hazards that are in the vehicle’s blind spot. Ultimately, if a driver is not looking in the right place at the right time, they will not see a potential problem.
“Not only do devices for indirect vision improve safety and efficiency but they also reduce costs associated with vehicle damage and insurance premiums.”
As part of its commitment to promoting safer fleets, Brigade Electronics UK will attend the Commercial Vehicle Show next week to promote Brigade Van – its range of vehicle safety devices tailored specifically for the van market – as well as Sidescan Predict, the next generation of collision avoidance systems which uses artificial intelligence to constantly gather object detection data, such as the speed and distance of a cyclist or other vulnerable road user from a vehicle
Brigade will also unveil the latest addition to its MDR 600 series of vehicle CCTV digital video recorders (DVR), the MDR 644.
