Safety aspects of heavy goods vehicle construction.

Road freight transport is an essential element in the present socio-economic structure of society. This society is consumption oriented, characterised by large concentrations of population, and concentrated centers of production an consumption that are geographically far apart. Thus heavy goods vehicles are an important aspect of the traffic pattern. They represent an important factor of road safety considerations as well. This is true for all industrialised countries, more in particular for all OECD-member countries. It is, however, difficult to quantify the relevance of HGV traffic participation in 'road safety even on a national scale, and more particularly on an international scale. In the following paper data from The Netherlands, from the Federal Republic of Germany and of France are used to stress several points. Most of it is quoted from a recent literature survey. As can be seen, however, the literature itself is fairly old. New research in the safety of HGV seems to be scarce. It shows that the data collection and handling as regards HGV accident involvement as well as regards their traffic participation and travel is far from complete. It is to be expected that the OECD-symposium will fill several of the gaps. The present study is primarily based on 'absolute' numbers i.e. the data quoted are taken directly from the accident statistics, because weighted factors and indexed percentages usually are selected arbitrarily and are often based on unreliable material. Only fatal accidents and fatalities are used, as injury accident data and damage-only accident data usually are unreliable as well. Again in the respect the Symposium may improve the situation. (Author/publisher