The ABD strongly supports the initiative and recognises the dangers of modern windscreen pillars, especially to pedestrians and motorcyclists.
 
Mark McArthur Christie, ABD Road Safety Spokesman and BMW R1150GS rider said:

"With modern screen pillars seemingly becoming wider and wider it's hardly surprising that there will be a dangerous effect on drivers' ability to see other road users in good time. What is surprising is that the official road safety establishment has taken their eye so far off the ball that this danger has neither been spotted nor investigated. The DfT must now embark on a campaign to bring this danger to the attention of road users."

ABD Chairman, Brian Gregory said:

"Modern road safety strongly lacks the sort of critical analysis and free thinking that leads to proper understanding of road safety problems such as this one. Clearly it's high time that the road safety establishment pays full attention to the analysis published by Safe Speed."

Recent government research indicates that 19.7% of 61,000 accidents were contributed to by road users who "looked but did not see". With some 250,000 injury accidents each year we think it likely that screen pillars play a part in tens of thousands of injuries annually.
 
These accidents especially affect motorcyclists, who experience the risks so frequently that the usual words of the car driver involved: "Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You" have been shortened to the acronym: SMIDSY. Notes for editors:
 
See article in September issue of BIKE magazine:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/bike.pdf
 
See "SMIDSY" web site, hosted within Safe Speed:
http://www.smidsy.org.uk
 
Safe Speed and BIKE magazine joint PR:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr134.html