A House of Commons Transport Select Committee report on road safety, published last week, gave barely any reference to the haulage industry, suggesting that trucks may not be viewed as one of the major culprits of road accidents.
In the report, Ending the Scandal of Complacency:
Road Safety beyond 2010, the Committee suggests that "lorry drivers could provide positive role models" for young drivers, who are one of the target groups for addressing road safety.
Jack Semple, director of policy at the Road Haulage Association, says: "The absence of discussion of trucks reflects the relatively good accident record of the UK haulage fleet; it is clearly not the area of greatest concern [for the government]. We must keep driving standards up and strengthening the safe (and fuel-efficient) core culture of the industry."
However, the report states that there "is a significant body of evidence to suggest that the methods for recording road-traffic injuries are flawed" and recommends the government commission an independent review of the systems.
"The government should establish a road accident investigation branch to draw together lessons from
the fatal accident investigations undertaken by police and other sources," says the report.
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