Together for Safer Roads, a global NGO focused on building cross-sector partnerships to improve fleet trucking safety, recently released its new “Direct Vision Transition Guide: An Operator’s Guide to Transforming Fleets for Safety.” This guide addresses the critical issue of blind zones in commercial trucks and offers a road map to reducing crashes, fatalities, and injuries by enhancing driver visibility.
In this guide, fleet operators in the public and private sectors will find clear, one-stop-shop information on why visibility is an issue and what can be done to address it, as well as awareness of the role that driver visibility plays in roadway fatalities in the U.S. Fleet operators will find step-by-step instructions on how to measure the visibility of vehicles in their existing fleet using TSR’s 5-Star Rating Tool and identify direct vision vehicles that are available on the U.S. market. The guide also spotlights fleet operators and manufacturers that are leading the way to safer streets by adding direct vision trucks to their fleets.
“The Direct Vision Transition Guide demonstrates the power of collaboration that is the foundation of our work,” said Peter Goldwasser, executive director of Together for Safer Roads. “Members have contributed their valuable expertise in fleet management and truck design, as well as road testing the Direct Vision 5-Star Rating Visibility Tool. Together, we have created a comprehensive resource that brings us closer to the shared vision of safer roads for all.”
See also: Together For Safer Roads publishes guide to help increase seat belt use rates in fleets
Here are some insights from the report:
- Public and private fleet operators can reduce roadway crashes, fatalities, and injuries by including direct vision trucks in their fleets. Data from London, where trucks have been required to meet a Direct Vision Standard since 2019, shows a 75% reduction in fatal crashes and a 64% reduction in crashes causing severe injuries where vision was a factor.
- Direct vision trucks are much safer than conventional cabs. Studies found that driving a traditional cab resulted in a 23% increase in pedestrian collisions versus trucks optimized for direct vision.
- TSR’s 5-Star Rating Tool allows fleet operators to easily measure the visibility of their current fleet vehicles. This information can be used to guide future procurement decisions make operations decisions, e.g., using trucks with better visibility in more urbanized areas.
- Truck drivers responded favorably to the opportunity to drive direct vision trucks. Drivers surveyed reported that improved visibility led to less stress and fatigue, while low-entry cab design reduced falls and other workplace accidents.
“Desire for direct vision trucks is growing in the U.S., and there are an increasing number of these trucks for sale here,” Goldwasser said. “The cab design changes that improve visibility, such as lower-cab, increased windows, and changes to hood size, also dovetail with design needs and opportunities of electric vehicles. As fleet operators seek to transition to electric vehicles, they can also address road safety by looking at direct vision vehicles.”
