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Billed as possibly 'the safest truck on UK roads', a unique artic unveiled by Royal Mail will be trialled over the next 12 months to see which of the 44 pieces of additional safety-related equipment fitted to it could be specified as standard to the postal company's fleet trucks of the future.

The Safety Concept Vehicle (SCV) is based on a conventional DAF CF85 tractor and Cartwright double-deck trailer, but with a host of extra accident-prevention kit fitted. According to Royal Mail network operations director Phil Murphy: "Is this the safest truck on UK roads? What we're trying to do is provoke some debate on road safety within the industry."

The SCV was launched at an industry seminar last week which included major fleet operators Wincanton and John Lewis. In developing its concept artic, Royal Mail has analysed its on-road and depot accident record and specified particular items of optional equipment to tackle areas of concern. Based on its latest RIDDOR data, the Royal Mail says 17% of accidents involved falls from vehicles.

In response, the SCV has improved step access to the rear of the trailer (with timed lighting) and a ground-level slide-out suzie coupling system (similar to  the original MAVIS design developed in the 1990s). Other safety kit includes powered landing legs, remote tyre-pressure monitoring, roll stability control across the entire vehicle, a nearside blind-spot camera, pedestrian proximity warning device and 'ramp approach braking', which automatically stops the vehicle when it is within a metre of a object - whether it is a loading bay, stationary obstacle or pedestrian. Only if it is safe to do so can the driver then slowly reverse the remaining distance.

Other Royal Mail RIDDOR concerns involved drivers trapping fingers or hands when closing the rear roller shutter. To address this, the Cartwright double-decker has a special sensor on the all-electric shutter which prevents it descending if a hand or foot could be trapped. To ensure perfect matching with the 16ft 2in tall Cartwright double-decker, the Daf CF85 tractor also has a powered roof-deflector (developed from the Cartwright Cheetah system) which can be raised or lowered from the cab. The driver also has an automatic digital vehicle-height readout.

During the next 12 months, the SCV will be based at six of the Royal Mail network depots to generate driver and operational feedback on the additional safety equipment.