Lorry insurance company calls on government to tackle EU HGV crashes

Lorry insurance provider Liverpool Victoria has called on the government to take action to ensure that foreign lorries on UK roads do not pose an undue safety risk.

21/08/2008 14:31:16

Lorry insurance provider Liverpool Victoria has called on the government to take action to ensure that foreign lorries on UK roads do not pose an undue safety risk.

The company, which offers lorry insurance policies along with a host of other cover, was moved to issue its plea to the government in the wake of a study which assessed the impact of EU-registered drivers on UK roads. The lorry insurance provider's survey found that the number of EU heavy goods vehicles has increased by a third since 2001 and that, in that time, the number of claims submitted to providers of car and lorry insurance has increased by 60 per cent.

Liverpool Victoria attributes the high incidence of accidents to the fact that these lorries are often left hand drive, which can cause a blind spot on the right of the vehicle when they are being driven on motorways.

As a result, the company is calling for regulations to be brought in to tackle this. John O'Roarke, Managing Director of Liverpool Victoria general insurance, said: "We are calling on the Government to bring in legislation to make it compulsory for left-hand drive heavy goods vehicles to be fitted with blind spot mirrors to help avoid these kinds of accidents."

Mr O'Roarke also noted that those involved in accidents with HGVs from overseas often encounter problems tracking down the company which provides the drivers with lorry insurance. He commented: "Not only is being involved in an accident with a lorry frightening but it can also be very costly and time consuming, as your insurer may have trouble tracing and communicating with the lorry insurance provider of the vehicle."

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