DRIVING TIP
NUMBER 25
20 June 2008
Screen Test
There’s no doubt that modern cars are structurally far superior to models widely available in years gone by. One of the recent trends in structural safety has had a possible downside in terms of driver vision – the growth of the A pillar.
The A pillar is the engineering term for the area dividing the windscreen and the windows. In recent years the A pillars have become sturdier in a bid to improve the structure of the car as a whole.
In response, car designers have made them thicker. But the A pillar has created a blind spot which campaigners have pointed out obstructs the vision of thousands of drivers.
A study commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) found that, while the A pillar can obscure vision, there is rarely only one factor that contributes to an accident.
The study therefore found that there was not enough evidence to suggest that changes to current legislation regarding A pillar design would be of benefit.
That means the onus is on drivers to cater for possible A pillar restriction. So what should we do?
Drivers should check the visibility before they buy just as you would check other features in the car.More than 90 per cent of the information from the car’s external environment is viewed by the driver through the windscreen and windows. So, firstly, you should be aware of the potential restriction the A pillar may cause in your ability to scan the road ahead. It is vital to check that nothing is hidden from view by the A pillar before making a manoeuvre. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are easy to “lose” in the space behind a pillar. Make sure you take time to look around the pillar, not just take a quick “snap-shot” look which could allow a cyclist to be hidden from view
As you are driving in a straight line in approach to a junction, look further ahead, and scan to the left and right on your approach That way you will see things through the windscreens before they become “lost” behind the pillars.
Remember – good, all round vision is vital. The onus is on you, as the driver, to see what is there.
More information about the DfT study Click here
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
1.Issued by the IAM Press Office, telephone 020 8996 9625. We have an ISDN line for interviews.
2. The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) directly influences the driving and riding of more than 160,000 road users a year (full members, associates and commercial clients) in the UK and Ireland. Established in 1956, the IAM is today best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving course. The IAM has grown to become the UK’s leading road safety charity, dedicated to raising driving standards, engaging with the road-using public and influencing road safety policy. IAM Fleet, the corporate arm of the IAM, has two subsidiary companies, Drive & Survive and Fleet Ireland. It also operates IAM Pro-Drive.
3. A 2006 report by Brunel University, following an 18 month study, concluded that “advanced driver training produces safer drivers and lower accident involvement”, with measurable improvements in knowledge, skills and attitude. The “Driving Tips” provided by the IAM are part of our broader road safety mission and not intended as a substitute for the advanced driving course.
4. In January 2007, the IAM Motoring Trust was established as the research and advocacy arm of the IAM. The IAM Motoring Trust will undertake research, promote practical policies, act as an advocate for safer roads, safer drivers and safer vehicles and encourage responsible motoring through education and training.
