Blind Spots – Forewarned is forearmed

Accidents that involve construction vehicles / machinery and people, particularly on construction sites, can be avoided. An easy retrofit and inexpensive solution: SideWarn Premium.

Safety on construction sites is of the utmost importance. This in particular demands care and concentration of construction vehicle drivers and machine operators. It creates a double stressful situation for the drivers and operators. They have to be careful and concentrated while manoeuvring or reversing their vehicles and as to regards to people working and obstacles to be found in the environment in the performance of their job. Accidents that result from insufficient sight due to a blind spot in the side mirror can be avoided by retrofitting the electronic assistance system SideWarn Premium. The system uses ultrasound sensors. If a person or an obstacle appears in the dead angle of the vehicle, the driver will be warned by an acoustic and optical signal.

What has proven successful on construction sites does also has its advantages on public roads. A pilot project using the assistance system WideWarn Premium was performed and thoroughly tested in commercial vehicles in the town of Osnabrück, Germany, where the rate of accidents involving lorries and bicycles is particularly high. The pilot project was an initiative to fight accidents that involves lorries and bicycles and was carried out and sponsored by Kompetenznetzwerk Individuallogistik, the association of haulage/transport companies of Lower Saxony (Gesamtverband Verkehrsgewerbe Niedersachsen) and the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry Osnabrück. “SideWarn Premium has proven to be successful and avoided a number of accidents”, says Klaus Czypull, VMSSG sales engineer in Germany.

The system is available through the German sales organization of VSSMG (contact partner is Klaus Czypull, Jakobstraße 7, 90402 Nürnberg, telephone ++49-911-9376072) or via selected truck garages such as TVS Truck Vertriebs- und Service GmbH in 49492 Westerkappeln, with their branches in Münster, Kassel, Heilbad Heiligenstadt and Brandenburg a.d. Havel.

Technical Details SideWarn Premium

SideWarn Premium, the automatic driver assistance system, uses 4 ultrasound sensors in the proximity of blind spots of construction vehicles, construction machinery and commercial vehicles. Once the ignition of the vehicle is switched on, the system is activated via a speed-related relais that notifies up to a speed of 30 km/h (20 mph), or if the right indicator light is levered. If a person or an obstacle is detected in the area of the dead angle, the system warns the driver with an acoustic and optical alarm. SideWarn Premium works with four far-reaching sensors and responds at a range of 0.9 metres (one yard). The positioning of the sensors in the proximity of the right side of the vehicle are to be determined by the kind of vehicle (manufacturer).