Callely moves on blind “spot mirrors”

Junior Transport Minister Ivor Callely is pleading with the haulage industry to retrofit “blind spot” mirrors on all their vehicles, following a spate of tragedies in recent months.

Minister Callely has written to the Irish Road Haulage Association, (IRHA), the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) and the employers’ group IBEC to seek support for the initiative

An EU directive, which comes into force in January 2007, will make it mandatory for all new HGVs entering service to have front safety mirrors fitted. All vehicles will have to have the mirrors fitted by 2008.

However, Callely wants hauliers to act ahead of the directive and retrofit the mirrors on all vehicles currently in service.