The role of heavy vehicles in road safety: Technical improvements and training of professional drivers in EU activities

This paper proposes an analysis of initiatives and measures that the EU has developed, both in terms of research and normative, in order to improve the safety of freight vehicles. The actions undertaken by the EU under the program for road safety, with particular attention to the road freight sector, the more representative, are the following: - Improving the visibility of heavy duty vehicles (HDV), - The elimination of points with poor visibility from the HDV, - Evaluation of measures to reduce accidents related to tires condition, - The standardization and improvement of initial and continuing training of professional drivers. The classification of defects which are considered to have serious impact on traffic, it’s very important because of the ageing of vehicles and related importance of periodic maintenance checks in order to remedy to the most common causes of accidents involving freight vehicles.