Safer Trucks
As part of its mission to achieve ‘Vision Zero’ (eliminating all traffic fatalities and serious injuries), Euro NCAP has turned its testing and safety performance attention to the HGV vehicle category for the first time.
Due to their size and weight, HGV crashes are the most severe on European roads. Although trucks account for less than 3% of the traffic fleet in Europe, they are responsible for 15% of accident fatalities. Furthermore, only 11% of casualties in accidents involving HGVs are truck occupants. The remaining 89% are car and van occupants, as well as Vulnerable Road Users.
The benefits of getting safety right
HGVs are an economic force for good, fulfilling an essential role distributing 95% of the goods consumed across the European continent. It’s therefore important that the sector is supported while ensuring trucks are safe and don’t continue to pose a disproportionate threat to other road users.
Euro NCAP’s TRUCK SAFE programme will create a common and harmonised best practice, around which road authorities, hauliers, drivers, insurers, truck manufacturers themselves and the brands and companies who want their goods shipped safely can all unify.
In November 2024 Euro NCAP launched its very first set of ratings. Out of nine trucks assessed, Volvo’s FH Aero and FM models both earned a maximum five-star rating, while Iveco’s current S-Way model emerged as the weakest performer with one star.
Contact us here if you wish to join us on this journey and become a member of the programme.