GUEST BLOG: Dudley Industries supporting cyclist’s safety

You might be wondering what the connection is between Dudley Industries and cycle safety; after all we are synonymous with metal fabrication and quality, but cyclist safety?  Please let us explain. Our contract manufacturing division was approached by a specialist in haulage road safety, European Transport Solutions. The challenge was to help reduce the number of accidents caused when a HGV is turning left and cyclists are riding along the inside. Safety is always our number one priority at Dudley and we jumped at the chance to work on improving safety for others.

According to the THINK! Campaign run by the Department for Transport:

• In 2015 3,337 cyclists were killed or seriously injured on roads
• A third of collisions between lorries and cyclists happen when the vehicle is turning left
• In the last 5 years 104 cyclists have been killed in accidents involving HGVs.  Accounting for nearly 20% of all cycling fatalities

http://think.direct.gov.uk/cycling.html

What could we do using our expertise in metal fabrication to make it clearer to cyclists when a HGV is turning left and to encourage them to ‘hang back’?

When cycling on the inside of a vehicle the indicators are out of sight and when riding at speed there is little thinking and stopping time before the realisation that the wagon is about to turn left.

Our road safety client suggested a light box that when connected to the indicator circuit lit up and flashed providing a more obvious and very clear warning that the vehicle is about to turn.  When positioned on the side of the vehicle or in the eye line of a rider it is sure to grab the attention of the cyclist alerting them to the danger.

Creating signage for vehicles presents a complex range of challenges not only from a quality perspective but also to conform with vehicle and road standards.

The resulting sign has been rigorously quality tested under ISO9001:2015 standard and is VCA E11 approved.

Rated to IP67 we ensure it will stand up to the toughest road conditions protecting it from road dust and dirt, weather conditions and jet washing.

We appreciate that not all vehicles are the same, the blind spot and ideal position for fixing will be different for all vehicles, which is why we recognise that our project is only just starting.

We would like to work with you to create bespoke fixing brackets specific to your fleet.  Together we can make a real difference, not only protecting cyclists but also giving your drivers the reassurance that they are driving vehicles that go above and beyond the basic requirements. Together we can demonstrate to your customers that their goods have been delivered in the safest manner.

Let’s change the road safety statistics for 2018 and beyond

This post has been written by dudleyindustries.com who are exhibiting at Subcon 5-7 June at NEC. You can register for a free pass to Subcon and meet over 400 suppliers - just visit www.subconshow.co.uk/register - we'll see you there!