Leaders of road safety charity Brake have urged fleet operators to attend a vital seminar on blind spots.

The organisation is holding the event in Birmingham on May 28th and it is aimed at raising awareness of the number of collisions between cyclists and commercial vehicles.

According to figures provided by the non-profit group, 13 per cent of all cycling accidents involve lorries, buses, vans and coaches, with one in six incidents having fatal consequences.

It is thought that a high percentage of accidents happen because drivers of larger vehicles do not check their blind spots often enough.

"Addressing the risks associated with vehicle blind spots and manoeuvring vehicles, including reversing, is an essential part of fleet safety policies and procedures," commented Roslyn Cumming, professional engagement manager at Brake.

The European Commission is understandably very keen to reduce the number of road accidents across the continent and the body recently outlined proposals for a new standard lorry design, which will see the cabs rounded off in order to reduce the impact of collisions with cyclists.