Truck drivers and pedestrians have been called upon to be mindful of the dangers posed by heavy goods vehicles to vulnerable road users.
A joint campaign organised by the National Safety Council in association with the Irish Road Haulage Association and the National Council on Ageing and Older People is hoping to increase awareness of the 'blind spot' in front of heavy goods vehicles (HGV's).
As many as six older pedestrian deaths in 2003 alone have been attributed to the blind spot on heavy goods vehicles.
A contributing factor in the deaths of older pedestrians involved in collisions with HGVs may be crossing the road in slow moving urban traffic too close to the area immediately in front of a goods vehicle, which is normally hidden from the driver's view.
The three organisations are calling on HGV manufacturers to fit special mirrors on all new cabs at assembly line stage, to eliminate the driver's blind spot. Haulage operators and fleet managers are also being asked to retrospectively fit these mirrors on cabs, if they haven't done so already.
A series of advertisements will be published in the national and local press to highlight the threat posed to road users by the 'danger zone' around goods vehicles.