Dawes Highway Safety (DHS) will be demonstrating their products, designed to improve fuel economy and road safety, at Freight in the City.
The DHS flagship product, DawesGuard®, incorporating DropDown® technology, is a pneumatically operated inflatable and retractable system. It is designed to prevent cyclists falling and being dragged under the wheels of a HGV, by creating a protective barrier between the road surface, vehicle underside and the wheels.
Fixed above the DawesGuard® is the PeoplePanel®. These panels, made of specialist grade of tough shatterproof plastic, are fitted over existing under-run bars to reduce the risk of entanglement of clothing or bicycle parts.
Additionally, the PeoplePanel® improves the aerodynamics of a vehicle, thereby providing tangible fuel economies – something close to every fleet manager’s heart.
Transport Research Laboratory’s research document published in August (http://content.tfl.gov.uk/assessing-direct-vision-in-hgvs-summary.pdf) identifies the greatest risk as the nearside zone of large vehicles. It highlights the relevance to a large number of pedestrian and cyclist casualties in urban areas.
“Retrofitting cost effective solutions like the DawesGuard® and PeoplePanel® will significantly reduce the risk to vulnerable road users. This is a matter of great interest to the new Mayor. Our products provide an ideal way for companies to show they too care about this issue,” said Managing Director James Dawes.
James Dawes, a former motorcycle officer with the Metropolitan Police, has spent the past three years designing and building the DHS products. He has taken feedback from accident investigators, highways safety executives, victims and the cycle community to develop a cutting edge product that sets new standards in road safety in urban areas.
Visitors will see the DawesGuard® on display at the show on the DHS stand (P20 & P21). They will also see the PeoplePanels® fitted to the Daf CF 440 FAD low-height 8×4 rigid tipper.
For more information please visit www.daweshighway.com or call Dawes Highway Safety on 01264 332414.
