In a unified call to action, over 50 organisations and individuals have written a joint letter to the new Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh MP, urging the Government to prioritise vehicle safety.
With Brake and AXA UK, the letter requests that the Government adopt the latest updates to the vehicle General Safety Regulation within the existing GB Type Approval Scheme. These regulations, implemented across Europe two years ago, mandate critical driver assistance features such as intelligent speed assistance, advanced emergency braking, and driver-drowsiness-detection systems.
Introduction of these vehicle safety regulations is one of the four asks in the Manifesto for Road Safety, coordinated by PACTS. Adopting these measures in Britain could potentially prevent up to 1,762 fatalities and 15,612 serious injuries, amounting to an economic value of around £7 billion over a 16-year period. The UK has a history of leading in vehicle safety technologies. It is now necessary for the government to not only follow but also exceed these measures.
PACTS briefing on GSR is available here: Still Unvaccinated: GSR One Year On – PACTS