PFD report

Sarah Lewis · Prevention of Future Deaths report

Pin Get email alerts Request correction

Issued 19 Jul 2021•County of Dorset

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

View original report
Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
3

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

Open published report

Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Failure to provide banksman assistance for reversing Large Goods Vehicles
    Part of recurring concern: Failure to provide banksman assistance for hazardous vehicle and load movementsPart of recurring concern: Unreliable vehicle reversing safety controls around pedestrians
  2. Lack of mandatory rear-camera fitting for Large Goods Vehicles
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable vehicle reversing safety controls around pedestrians
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.3

  1. Action

    Finalize international technical requirements for reversing detection systems using cameras, sensors, or both on LGVs.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 23 July 2021.
  2. Action

    Develop the new approval system for vehicles registered for use in Great Britain.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 23 July 2021.
  3. Action

    Conduct a call for evidence on available technologies, including reversing detection systems, and record the coroner’s observations in the responses.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated plannedThe respondent said that this action was planned when they made their response on 23 July 2021.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to provide banksman assistance for reversing Large Goods Vehicles

Wider context from the report

“(1) A Large Goods Vehicle was being driven which had reverse warning lights and a reversing alarm. The driver was assisted by 7 mirrors. A pedestrian was stood on the pavement and she was not seen by the driver. It is likely that the driver was checking his nearside mirror or the road around him when the pedestrian stepped out behind the reversing lorry which resulted in a complete blind spot once she was behind the vehicle. (2) The evidence I heard is that it is not mandatory for Large Goods Vehicles to be fitted with a camera at the rear of the vehicle to assist drivers and prevent this blind spot. A lot of drivers complete journeys alone without a banksman to assist them in safely reversing. (3) There is no legal requirement for vehicles to have a rear camera and yet this may prevent future deaths. At the very least it would prevent a large number of accidents. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Failure to provide banksman assistance for hazardous vehicle and load movements; Unreliable vehicle reversing safety controls around pedestrians.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of mandatory rear-camera fitting for Large Goods Vehicles

Wider context from the report

“(1) A Large Goods Vehicle was being driven which had reverse warning lights and a reversing alarm. The driver was assisted by 7 mirrors. A pedestrian was stood on the pavement and she was not seen by the driver. It is likely that the driver was checking his nearside mirror or the road around him when the pedestrian stepped out behind the reversing lorry which resulted in a complete blind spot once she was behind the vehicle. (2) The evidence I heard is that it is not mandatory for Large Goods Vehicles to be fitted with a camera at the rear of the vehicle to assist drivers and prevent this blind spot. A lot of drivers complete journeys alone without a banksman to assist them in safely reversing. (3) There is no legal requirement for vehicles to have a rear camera and yet this may prevent future deaths. At the very least it would prevent a large number of accidents. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable vehicle reversing safety controls around pedestrians.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Finalize international technical requirements for reversing detection systems using cameras, sensors, or both on LGVs.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The DfT has been working at international level to develop appropriate requirements to improve vision for drivers around LGVs. This work includes a reversing detection system using cameras, sensors or a combination of these to enable the driver to be aware of an obstacle or person directly behind their vehicle. The technical requirements for the system have been finalised and were formally agreed earlier this year.”

Source location

2021-0251-Response-from-Department-for-Transport_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 23 July 2021

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Develop the new approval system for vehicles registered for use in Great Britain.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Following the UK leaving the European Union, a new approval system for vehicles being registered for use in Great Britain is being developed. A call for evidence is planned later this year to gather views on the inclusion of a wide range of technologies that are becoming available, including reversing detection systems. The outcome will inform decisions on future legislation to require these technologies to be fitted to new vehicles. We will hold and record your observations on the use of reversing camera systems within the responses to the call for evidence.”

Source location

2021-0251-Response-from-Department-for-Transport_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 23 July 2021

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Conduct a call for evidence on available technologies, including reversing detection systems, and record the coroner’s observations in the responses.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Following the UK leaving the European Union, a new approval system for vehicles being registered for use in Great Britain is being developed. A call for evidence is planned later this year to gather views on the inclusion of a wide range of technologies that are becoming available, including reversing detection systems. The outcome will inform decisions on future legislation to require these technologies to be fitted to new vehicles. We will hold and record your observations on the use of reversing camera systems within the responses to the call for evidence.”

Source location

2021-0251-Response-from-Department-for-Transport_Published
Page 2 · response
Published 23 July 2021

Open published response
Back to top

Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026