McCarron Coates said HGV operators need to not just appreciate and abide by the changes, but be seen to have done everything to brief and train drivers in what is expected of them. Unless drivers are aware of the new rules, risk management strategies, geared at reducing claims and lowering insurance premiums, could be seriously undermined.
McCarron Coates also suggests that the new rules could potentially open the door to more opportunities to shift liability on to the shoulders of the HGV driver and their firms.
“Literally, with great power comes great responsibility,” says McCarron Coates Director, Ian McCarron. “By putting a greater onus on the drivers of heavy goods and passenger vehicles to be responsible for the safety of all others, we fear that drivers of these vehicles are more likely to be deemed at-fault for accidents, where there is no clear evidence to the contrary.”