Lorry safety scheme shown to be helping to save lives in London

Transport for London has released new data showing that the ‘world-leading’ Direct Vision Standard (DVS) is helping to save lives in London. 

Since the lorry safety scheme, which reduces lethal blind spots, was introduced in 2019, an average of six fewer people have been killed and 21 fewer people seriously injured in collisions with Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) every year.

This totals 19 fewer deaths and 62 fewer serious injuries since the DVS was enforced (2022-2024).

Under the Direct Vision Standard, HGVs are given a rating between ‘zero-star’ (lowest) and ‘five-star’ (highest) – based on how much the driver can see directly through their cab windows.

Only vehicles with a valid safety permit – those rated ‘one-star’ and above – have been able to operate in London since March 2021.

Last year, TfL strengthened DVS requirements even further, with all HGVs over 12 tonnes required to have a three-star rating or fit Progressive Safe System measures to operate.

Newly published road safety data from 2024 shows that since the DVS was introduced, the number of people walking, cycling or motorcycling killed or seriously injured in a collision with an HGV has fallen from an average of 71 people per year in 2017-2019 to 35 people in 2024.