For the first time, lorries are being rated for safety, with the safest and least safe heavy goods vehicles named under a new star system. The ratings, ranging from five stars for the safest to one star for the least safe, aim to improve lorry safety standards in a manner similar to how car safety has progressed since 1997.

The new initiative, led by EuroNCAP, highlights the lack of safety features in many lorries compared to modern cars. Features like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, and collision avoidance systems for cyclists and pedestrians are often absent. These systems could prevent tragic accidents, such as the fatal crash on the A34 involving a distracted lorry driver, or the collision that claimed the life of 8-year-old Dev Naran on the M6.

Matthew Avery, EuroNCAP’s director of strategy, emphasised the urgency of addressing lorry safety. Despite representing only 3% of road vehicles, lorries are involved in 15% of fatal accidents. He also pointed out that many lorries lack basic safety measures, such as seat belt reminders, which are standard in modern cars. Tests of six heavy goods vehicle brands revealed a wide disparity, with Volvo earning five stars and a 2024 Iveco model receiving just one.

Campaigners like Meera Naran, whose son was killed in a lorry crash, have welcomed the scheme as a milestone for road safety. They urge manufacturers to prioritise safety, not only for lorry drivers but also for vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians.