Road Safety Week, Don’t Drive Blind.
October 30, 2007
Oct 30, 2007 -- /prbuzz/ --The theme for this year’s road safety week, 5-11 November, focuses on child pedestrian and cyclist safety. The event organised by Brake, the road safety charity, aims to raise awareness of the issues surrounding road deaths and save lives.

According to startling figures from the Department for Transport (DfT), road deaths among children under the age of 16 in Britain have dramatically increased by 20% since 2005 and child cyclist deaths have increased by a whopping 55%. Even more alarmingly, Brake revealed many road deaths are caused by driver’s blind spots, particularly when a truck is turning left, an issue which can be easily remedied with all round vision aides (mirrors and camera systems).

To help reduce this figure, Brigade has developed a range of products to enable drivers of van and heavy goods vehicles to see a clear view of pedestrians and cyclists in their blind spots. Brigade are currently supplying mirrors, and all round visibility cameras to some of the four million trucks across Europe who will need to comply with new EU legislation regarding blind spots by 2009. However, campaigners warn many lives will be sacrificed until then, and urge the government to bring the date forward.

The side and rear view monitors can be activated by selecting the left indicator or reverse gear, supplying the driver with a clear view of objects in the danger zone. Other devices include Brigade’s ‘side-scan’ for turning left, which operates in a similar way to car parking sensors, but is fitted to the near side of the truck, linked to the truck left indicator to warn the driver is anything is in the danger zone to the left side of the vehicle. ‘Backchat’ uses a bespoke message, warning people that the vehicle is about to turn. The combination systems alert both parties to the dangers.

Brigade’s unique ‘white sound’ reversing alarm, bbs-tek, has achieved phenomenal success for its ability to instantly draw attention to danger without causing noise irritation. Unlike traditional beeping alarms, bbs-tek emits a directional frequency which is easier to locate, enabling blind and hard of hearing people to detect which vehicle is reversing.

Brigade Electronics believe that by fitting these simple and cost effective devices, many accidents and road deaths will be prevented, but ignoring the issue could cost us our children’s lives.

Brigade Electronics Plc is based at Brigade House, The Mills, Station Road, South Darenth, Kent, DA4 9BD. Telephone 0870 774 1500. Fax 0870 774 1502.

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Websites: www.brigade-electronics.com
and www.bbs-tek.com
ENDS


Note for editors: Brigade Electronics plc was established in 1976 and is the market leader in reversing safety systems. It is the only company in the world to provide a complete range of reversing safety systems and with its new product introductions extend safety to all-round visibility,
About the Press Release
Brigade Electronics are supporting road safety week by encouraging commercial vehicle owners and drivers to use all round vision aids to prevent blind spot fatalities.


 
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