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Windscreen pillars cause safety risk

The introduction of increasingly thicker windscreen pillars (A pillars) is causing concerns over road safety.

Experts believe that thicker A pillars, which tougher standards on car passenger cell strength have made necessary, are leading to obscured vision for drivers.

In some situations, such as stopping at a junction, the thick windscreen pillars can totally obscure other vehicles, pedestrians, motorcycles or cyclists, it is claimed, causing a crash when an approaching vehicle goes unobserved.

Looked But Failed to See (LBFTS) is the third most frequent crash contributory factor, with LBFTS crashes involving motorbikes the most common.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said: "It's very important that we warn road users of the risks and explain how best to manage them.

"It's all too easy to attempt to look around the screen pillar and in the process to 'opposite track' the movements of a conflicting road user. Very few road users understand the issues in sufficient detail."

The Department for Transport has recently commissioned a research project aimed at investigating the safety implications of A pillars. Results of the study are yet to be published.

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