I'm Campaigning!!

[selfraising]

I don't usually get involved in things as I'm not very assertive except when I feel something is unjust Two weeks ago my daughter (Samwise off the vine) was involved in a serious collision with a foreign lorry on the M25. Fortunately she had little physical injury but was very shaken. He said he did not see her, she was in his blind spot. After details had been taken, he went on his way, and dealt with the whole matter in a very laid back way, according to Sam.

The Police said that they deal with at least 14 of these incidents a day and this coincides with what I have read on the internet suggesting that almost half of accidents on the M25 are caused by foreign lorry drivers and are due to the blind spot issue (apparently this is called 'sideswiping'). The UK have introduced Fresnel mirrors which can overcome the blind spot difficulty but cannot enforce this on foreign lorry drivers. We recieved a letter today from Surrey police saying they cannot pursue the matter as the other party is a foreign lorry driver and under current legislation they therefore cannot prosecute.

This all seems so unfair, I feel it is not just about my daughter, who was very lucky but all those other people involved in similar accidents and are possibly hospitalised. I have now contacted my local MP as I am sure that if this had happened on the continent to one of us and we had been at fault we would end up being prosecuted.

Am I right to be doing this, I've never done anything like this before?

Is there anything else I can do?

[Hilary B]

Get as much publicity for this as you can! You might want to put up a 'No10 petition'. The government don't take much notice (they normally just send you a polite note explaining why they won't do anything about it) but it DOES get it heard about!

[SarzWix]

Good luck Angie, it does sound like somebody needs to kick up a fuss about it. Have you tried the local paper? Sometimes a story in a local paper can get picked up by the nationals too, plus bring forward anyone else that it might have happened to.

[selfraising]

Thanks for the ideas guys! How would I go about setting up a No.10 petition? Our local MP has responded (which is somehthing). He has now contacted Surrey Police and the Association of British Insurers and will contact me again when he has a response. The insurers because althought Sam only had third party insurance, she was entitled to a hire car but again the insurers are saying they cannot give her one because it would be too difficult to claim against a foreign insurer.

[Farmer_Gyles]

with that many accidents, you might find you won't be the only person affected and you might find other people campaigning too - teaming up with others can help any campaign

try contacting motoring organisations such as AA / RAC and also safety organisations like RoSPA at RoSPA : The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents - they might know about other campaigns or might know of other people affected or maybe know of legal changes in the pipeline - they also have a lot of contacts in the media and are often seen on telly (esp AA/RAC)

good luck with it!

[SarzWix]

You can set up petitions to Number 10 on their website Introduction to e-petitions | Number10.gov.uk but make sure you work out what you're petitioning for before you start More accountability for accidents caused by overseas drivers? Better cover/assistance from the insurance companies?

[hamsterqueen]

good for you, it is a huge problem. I saw a foreign lorry crush a police car against the crash barrier as I drove home form Dover a while ago and we have a lot of accidents involving foreign lorries here, especially as they have just come off the ferries.

As Sarzwiz says, take some time to work out exactly what you want, make the petition count. If you do set it up post a link, I would like to see greater accountability.

[selfraising]

Okay I've set up the petition for more accountability, just need to wait for it to be approved.

[Two_Sheds]

collision with a foreign lorry on the M25. ... He said he did not see her

That's exactly what the driver said who hit me last week (head on).

[quark1]

I realy don't see why the powers that be cannot legislate for this vital piece of safety requirement to be on every foreign vehicle visiting these shores.

After all if you travel to France WITHOUT a red triangle in your boot in case of accident - even though you are British - you have still broken French Law.

This is not a case of 'elf and safety gone mad - it is plain common sense.

[selfraising]

Hi Quark1, exactly my point. From what I've read these lenses/mirrors can't be enforced because of some EU law!!! So we have to abide by their rules but they don't have to be accountable here!

[quark1]

Without wishing to get too political - the UK has, and always will (increasingly) be subservient to EU law and those who wish to research the reasons why are free to do so.

There is much I do not agree with about France, for instance - but one thing I DO like is that it has a 'FRANCE-FIRST' attitude. We could learn much I think!

[Hilary B]

Okay I've set up the petition for more accountability, just need to wait for it to be approved.

Once you have it approved, put the link on here!

[kernowyon]

i agree with this, In my line of work we do get the aftermath of some of the more serious ones, I can remember a particulary bad one with fatalities on the M11 when I worked in 'rlow

i will sign up when it is approved

[selfraising]

Thanks for the support guys. I will pop the link on as soon as!