New legislation steps up safety around HGVs

Legislation has been tightened around the minimum direct vision requirements for heavy good vehicles (HGVs) to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

The new legislation will be enforced from 2026 and is expected to save upwards of 550 lives every year.

UNECE Regulation 167, which sets minimum requirements for vision in front of an HGV, was introduced in 2022.

However, research funded by the Road Safety Trust and carried out by Loughborough University identified weaknesses in the legislation. It then developed a set of amendments to improve driver vision both in front of the can and areas of specific risk.

These amendments have now been passed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Road safety

Dr Steve Summerskill, who led the project at Loughborough University, said: “Our team designed the original version of UNECE 167, but it became apparent that HGV manufacturers were able to design without meeting the spirit of the standard, and so this amendment has been defined to solve this problem.

“The impact that the standard will have from 2026 is clear, with an EU impact assessment stating that 550 lives per year will be saved.”

Ruth Purdie OBE, chief executive of The Road Safety Trust, said:

“This regulation plays a vital role in reducing collisions between HGVs and vulnerable road users, such as cyclists. The success of the project team in securing an amendment to the UNECE regulation is testament to their dedication to improving road safety, as well as to the positive impact that our grant funding is able to achieve through expert collaboration and evidence-based research.”