Sat navs: are they suitable for larger vehicles? – Transport Manager CPC
Satellite navigation systems, commonly known as the “sat-nav” have become increasingly popular in recent years and for many of us has practically wiped out our sense of navigation. In has come to light in recent news, the answer may be no when it comes to larger vehicles such as lorries. But the question remains as to whether the sat-nav is truly providing the safest route for us and the rest of passengers on the road to arrive at our destination.
The Local Government Association (LGA) is looking to pass legislation to make sure that lorry drivers in England and Wales have their vehicles equipped with navigation systems designed specifically for HGV’s.
Claims have been made that suggest that lorries are responsible for potholes in the roads which has led us to have some of the poorest conditions of roads in the world, ranking us at 27th on the leader board of poor conditions on the road for drivers.
However, industry experts defend that larger vehicles are not completely to blame and the introduction of this latest legislation could mean the end of this dispute for good.
The Government Association believe that local councils should have the authority to guide larger vehicles away from certain roads and routes should the specification exceed the weight or height limit.
In the past year, there have been various raises of awareness where sat-navs have taken drivers down routes that have led to collisions with bridges or incident where vehicles have become trapped in small roads causing major disruption to all local traffic.
The new GPS systems developed for lorry drivers include important information on height and width restriction and alert the drivers of any narrow roads that their vehicle will not pass by and should therefore be avoided. This is calculated by the information that is initially plotted into the device, meaning that the GPS can work out the best route per the information it knows about the vehicle in transport.
Councils have already been working with haulage firms to ensure that all drivers are aware of the best routes to take on their journey. It is the duty of the transport manager to provide an accurately configures Sat-nav to their drivers to ensure it works in accordance to their dimensions.
Remember, if you are a FORS member you will have access to so much supportive material, Toolbox talks, E-learning and routes to ensure your drivers are compliant in this vital area. Your drivers need support to ensure they do not end up Vulnerable Road User Hot Spot or end up in an avoidable situation.
If you have any questions on Road safety or Transport Manager CPC, or want to learn more about our CPC courses, then why not contact us today at info@ridgewaytraining.co.uk or alternatively call us on 01293 535850.
