Careless driving. Or, as I’ve often heard it called driving with undue care and attention which, if I wanted to be really pedantic, probably means driving with more care and attention than is necessary! Well we won’t go there but it is worth considering issues where the offence may arise. There are many and indeed I will devote more space to this very wide topic in a forthcoming article.
The motorways seem to be often clogged up with foreign trucks and lorries rumbling up and down the country. If they are foreign registered trucks then then they will almost certainly be left hand drive and that is reason for exceptional care and attention – both on the part of the truck driver and on the part of the motorist passing one of these vehicles. The plain fact is that the driver of a left hand drive HGV will have a very limited view of a car that is to the right of the cab. For all intents and purposes your car in this situation will be invisible. Probably one needs to be sat in the driving seat of a left hand drive HGV to fully appreciate this for oneself but it makes sense; the HGV is tall and wide, the car is usually low and often small, the foreign driver is sat next to the near side verge and may have nothing more than mirrors to inform him of the position of immediate traffic. It is potentially quite scary. Only if the cab is fitted with a camera system whereby there are views to the sides and rear at least will the HGV driver be fully informed of the traffic surrounding him.
So what should the UK car driver do? The best advice I’ve heard if you come across one of these foreign registered vehicles is to stay a car’s length behind it and, if overtaking becomes necessary or desirable, to do so smartly; get past as quickly as possible in case the lorry pulls out suddenly and collides with your car because that can and does happen.
The driver of a left hand drive HGV who pulls out into the path of an overtaking car may be at fault or he may think he has exercised all reasonable due care and attention given the physical difficulties he too often has; it’s a fine line. Either way it is of precious little comfort to the driver of a car that’s damaged by a fast moving and very heavy vehicle driven by a driver who may have only a limited command of the English language. With the police almost bound to be involved in the aftermath of an accident – perhaps leading to an in-depth analysis of any shortcomings in your driving skills there are plenty of considerations to bear in mind the more we see of foreign-registered trucks on British roads. And the cost to your insurance policy may be another unwelcome consideration that may last long after the collision.
So it is right to exercise the very greatest degree of care and attention in these circumstances; probably no less is due.
Newnham & Jordan Solicitors are able to assist and advise you with regard to a variety of Road Traffic, Driving and other regulatory issues.
Call us now on 01202 877400
This article is intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. Newnham & Jordan Solicitors cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article or any external articles it may refer or link to.
