Sideswipe trial

An innovative trial of magnifying window lenses to address 'sideswiping' accidents has been unveiled by the Road Safety Minister, Stephen Ladyman.   The trial is being conducted by the Highways Agency, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and the Immigration Service and will see 40,000 stick-on Fresnel lenses distributed free of charge at three French ports to drivers of left-hand lorries coming into the UK.   Lorries have a blind spot along their passenger side, which can cause them to collide with cars when being overtaken. The Fresnel lenses will offer drivers of left-hand vehicles a wider field of vision through the passenger window, which is expected to cut the number of side-swiping incidents recorded in the South East.