Today marks the start of Road Safety Week and the charity who runs the national campaign is reiterating its call to the Government for life-saving technology to be mandated for all new vehicles sold in the UK
As Road Safety Week (16-22 November) begins today (Sunday), the road safety charity Brake is using the period to raise awareness of the impact of road death and injury and calling for key measures to make roads safer.
More than 3,000 communities, schools, organisations and individuals have signed up to take part in a bid to reach more than ten million people with important road safety messages using free resources provided by the charity. The Road Safety Week campaign begins on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and will highlight the fact that 1,671 people died on UK roads last year. A further 28,804 suffered serious, life-changing injuries, according to the charity.
In 2025, the theme of Road Safety Week is ‘Safe Vehicles Save Lives’, raising awareness of how safe vehicles can make roads safer by being roadworthy, preventing crashes and protecting people in the event of a crash. From automated driver assistance systems that help drivers keep within speed limits and brake in an emergency, Brake is helping people understand how today’s technology can make every journey safer. They are also asking drivers to conduct essential checks that can be done before every journey. This comes off the back of a recent study by the charity which found that 63% of drivers don’t understand how all of the safety features in their car work. In addition, 18% of drivers are uncertain what safety features their car has, and 35% admit to having switched off at least one safety feature.
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Ross Moorlock, Chief Executive at Brake, said: “Road Safety Week is a fantastic opportunity for us all to come together in our communities, organisations, and simply as people who share the road space, to take action for change to make our roads safer.
“This year, we have put vehicle safety at the very heart of Road Safety Week, because we know that whoever we are, and however we travel, the safety of the vehicles we use is critical to road safety. When we look back at the introduction of seatbelts and airbags, for example, the impact they have had on reducing road deaths and injuries is staggering.”
As part of the Road Safety Week campaign, The charity said it is reiterating its call to the Government for life-saving technology to be mandated for all new vehicles sold in the UK, in line with the Vehicle General Safety Regulations that were introduced in Europe in 2022.
Under these regulations, a number of important vehicle safety features became mandatory for all new vehicles sold in the European Union (EU), including advanced emergency braking, intelligent speed assistance and attention warning in case of driver drowsiness.
According to Brake, 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. This could also save up to £7 billion in health costs — if the full package of measures were to be fully implemented.
Although Britain played a significant role in the development of the General Safety Regulation when it was still part of the EU, these safety technologies have still not been made mandatory for new vehicles sold here.
Last month, with backing from more than 45 other road safety organisations and individuals, Brake sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP. The letter asked her to act with urgency to deliver a new strategic Road Safety Framework. The charity called on her to take what they believe is the essential step of adopting the latest Vehicle General Safety Regulation updates. But, they said that to date, they have not received a response.
Mr Moorlock added: “We know that modern vehicle technology, with automated driver assistance systems, has the potential to have the same transformational impact. There is simply no good reason why any new vehicle sold in the UK should not to be fitted with the latest generation, life-saving safety features as standard.
“The latest government casualty data, revealing that 59% of road deaths in 2024 involved speed, is a case in point. Safety features such as intelligent speed assistance and automated emergency braking can play a crucial role in preventing crashes and reducing the risk of death and serious injury on our roads, but only if we keep them switched on.
“This Road Safety Week, I call on everyone who drives to find out more about the safety features in your vehicle, and I urge you to use them, to help keep yourself and the people you share the road with as safe as possible. We have the technology to save lives on our roads, we need to use it! Let’s make every journey as safe as possible.”
The charity announced that it has provided specialist emotional and practical support to more than 2,000 families following a road crash over the last several years. These actions have helping people cope with the devastating impact of a sudden and traumatic event.
Many of the families supported by Brake have been involved in multi-fatality crashes, and around 7% of support cases involve the death of a child.
Ed Colley, Head of Brand and Marketing at Autoglass, said: “At Autoglass, we fit safety as standard nationwide – from expert windscreen repair and replacements, to ADAS recalibrations that ensure critical safety systems work as designed. We are proud to once again sponsor Brake’s Road Safety Week, and together champion safe, roadworthy vehicles; increased knowledge and awareness; and the mandate for proven safety technology – because safe vehicles, safely maintained, save lives.”
Toby van der Meer, Hastings Direct Chief Executive Officer, said: “At Hastings Direct, we recognise that vehicle safety is as important as driving safely, and we are proud to partner with Brake and to raise more awareness of this during Road Safety Week. Our telematics technology gives valuable insights into serious and dangerous behaviours, including distracted driving, and encourages drivers to adopt safer driving habits. Through targeted campaigns during peak collision periods, we’re helping drivers stay focused – making roads safer not just for our customers, but for everyone who uses them.”
Nyanya Joof, Regional VP, UK Markets at Motive, said: “Safety is our north star, and we are committed to zero harm and zero preventable crashes. From small businesses to the world’s largest and most complex organisations, customers rely on Motive’s AI-powered driver safety technology to prevent collisions and protect drivers. Our recent expansion into the UK and partnership with Brake for Road Safety Week reinforces our commitment to creating safer roads worldwide.”
Paz Macdonald, Vice President Marketing at Samsara, said: “Samsara is a long-serving strategic partner of Brake. We are proud to once again support this year’s Road Safety Week. We’ve supported Brake for many years, and worked alongside our many UK customers to dramatically improve safety. This has been achieved through advanced AI-powered technology that is proven to prevent incidents and save lives. We are dedicated to continuing this work with Brake and our customers to create a future with zero road deaths.”
To sign up and take part, go here.
Road Safety Week 2025 is delivered by Brake and sponsored by Autoglass, Hastings Direct, Motive and Samsara.
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