Brake has called on the Government to mandate life-saving technology for all new vehicles, bringing Britain in line with regulations in the EU and Northern Ireland.

Adopting the Vehicle General Safety Regulation in Britain could prevent more than 1,700 deaths and 15,000 serious injuries over 16 years

A coalition of nearly 50 road safety organisations and individuals, led by the road safety charity, has written to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, urging the Government to adopt the latest Vehicle General Safety Regulation (GSR) updates into the GB Type Approval Scheme.

The second wave of the regulations came into effect on 7 July 2024, mandating a range of technical safety features to be fitted to new cars as standard within the EU and Northern Ireland. Such equipment, while likely to be included on many new cars in Britain, has not actually been mandated and there have been widespread calls for the Government to officially adopt the rules, due to the road safety benefits.

Road safety experts have estimated that adopting the Vehicle General Safety Regulation in Britain could prevent more than 1,700 deaths and 15,000 serious injuries over 16 years, saving up to £7bn in health costs if the full package of measures were to be fully implemented.

Brake says the lack of legal requirement for such features in Britain creates a safety gap for drivers and road users.

In its letter to the Transport Secretary, the coalition led by the road safety charity highlights that, with every day of delay, another five people die on UK roads, in collisions that may have been prevented if important vehicle safety features were available and active.

The letter, which has now been signed by nearly 50 organisations and individuals, states: “The question is no longer whether we should act, but when, and we believe that moment is now.”

Campaigners point to the successful cross-party passage of the Automated Vehicles Act as evidence that Westminster can move swiftly on safety reforms. They are urging the Government to show the same ambition in aligning the UK with international best practice on vehicle safety.

Brake’s CEO Ross Moorlock commented: “Drivers are clear: they want safer cars, they value life-saving technology, and they believe these features should be mandatory. With the evidence, the technology, and the public all on side, the only missing piece is Government action. Adopting these regulations will save lives, prevent injuries and reduce the devastating impact of crashes on families and communities.”

This year’s Road Safety Week (16-22 November) will also spotlight the theme ‘Safe Vehicles Save Lives’ as a vital component of the safe systems approach to road safety.

The call comes as Brake, in partnership with technology company Seeing Machines, launches a major new report, Vehicle Safety Technology, revealing overwhelming public support for the mandatory introduction of life-saving vehicle features.

The research, based on a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 drivers, found that 87% of drivers say the safety rating is important when choosing a new car and two-thirds (66%) are willing to pay more for safety features that protect themselves and their passengers.

Meanwhile, 68% of drivers believe advanced emergency braking should be mandatory in all new vehicles; and 67% back mandatory intelligent speed assistance for all new vehicles.

Strong support was also found for driver drowsiness detection, reversing cameras and other driver assistance technology.

Mike Lenné, chief safety officer at Seeing Machines, said: “This important research highlights the crucial gap between drivers’ support for a range of safety technologies that can help prevent crashes on our roads, and the real-world uptake and availability of them. Regulation must keep pace with global safety trends and road users’ preferences. Our mission remains to make these solutions accessible, well-designed, and widely understood – so everyone can travel with the safety they deserve.”

To read the Vehicle Safety Technology report in full, please click here.