With Euro NCAP safety ratings now being applied to HGVs, this will have a significant impact on drivers in the UK and Europe.

The TRUCK SAFE programme is designed to test and improve the safety of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) for the very first time.

Euro NCAP already runs passenger car and LCV ratings programmes to improve road safety, as part of efforts to achieve Vision Zero.

For fleet operators and road users alike, we believe that the TRUCK SAFE programme is a massive step forward... 

 

Key Takeaways from the TRUCK SAFE Programme

By introducing these ratings, Euro NCAP is driving higher safety standards across the industry.

  • This is Euro NCAP’s very first safety assessment for HGVs
  • Nine truck models were assessed across key safety performance categories
  • Volvo FH Aero and FM models came out on top
  • Iveco S-WAY ranked the lowest
  • Certain models were also awarded CitySafe accreditation

With manufacturers being incentivised to develop and implement more advanced safety systems, let’s hope that these features can become the norm rather than the exception in the years to come.

 

The Ratings

From highest to lowest, here is how each of the nine truck models ranked on a scale of one to five stars – five being the safest.

  • Volvo FH Aero (five stars)
  • Volvo FM (five stars)
  • Renault Trucks T (four stars)
  • Scania G-series (four stars)
  • Scania R-series (three stars)
  • Mercedes-Benz Actros L (three stars)
  • MAN TGX (three stars)
  • DAF XF (three stars)
  • Iveco S-Way (one star)

This is a huge step forward for safer driving - you wouldn't buy a car or van rated one star in the Euro NCAP ratings, so why would you buy a one-star truck?

With this increased transparency around truck safety, manufacturers who score poorly will have to invest in safety technology to maintain sales and profitability, which benefits us all.

 

CitySafe Accreditation

In addition to the star rating system, Euro NCAP introduced a CitySafe accreditation awarded to trucks with good technologies and design that can help to prevent accidents that typically occur in cities and urban environments.

The following truck models earned a CitySafe accreditation during the very first TRUCK SAFE programme:

  • DAF XF
  • Scania G-series
  • Volvo FH Aero
  • Volvo FM

This can give UK haulage firms the confidence to invest in fleet safety by prioritising trucks that score highly across both categories.

 

What's the Point of These New Ratings?

Euro NCAP recognises that HGVs account for a substantial portion of all crashes on European roads, which is why evaluating their safety is crucial.

The organisation argues that prioritising HGV safety performance via the programme will help stakeholders that rely on the haulage sector choose the safest trucks.

Euro NCAP believes that this will unify road authorities, hauliers, drivers, insurers, and even truck manufacturers.

As these ratings gain traction, we can hope to see the prevention of more crashes and a higher standard set for the entire industry.

Initiatives like this are refreshing to see – with the focus on actively preventing accidents before they happen, not just on mitigating the damage.

This will benefit drivers as a whole, as 89% of casualities in accidents involving HGVs are car and van occupants or Vulnerable Road Users.

By prioritising truck safety with these new ratings, Euro NCAP have taken a positive step to protect all road users moving forwards.

 

A Closer Look at TRUCK SAFE 

The safety of nine trucks from the fleet long-haul segment was assessed across the lifecycle of an accident.

This includes the hours and minutes before an accident occurs, crash avoidance, and the hour after the crash.

This is the first of Euro NCAP’s testing protocols to adopt this framework.

The truck models selected were rated against three safety performance categories:

  • Safe Driving
  • Crash Avoidance
  • Post-Crash Safety

 

Safe Driving

The safe driving category covers occupant monitoring, direct and indirect vision, and adaptive cruise control.

Crash Avoidance

Crash avoidance rates the effectiveness of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in helping to avoid front, lane change, and low-speed manoeuvring collisions.

Post-Crash Safety

The post-crash safety category focuses on rescue information and ease of extrication during the ‘golden hour’ - this being the first critical 60 minutes after a car accident.

 

The score that the truck is awarded for each category is then combined to get an overall rating out of five stars.

The trucks mentioned above that earned a five-star rating scored consistently high across the board.

You can see the truck safety ratings in more detail here.

 

The Future of the TRUCK SAFE Programme

The next round of Euro NCAP TRUCK SAFE results is expected to be released in April 2025, focusing on the long-haul fleet rigid segment.

As this programme rolls out, we all have a role to play – whether it’s supporting policies that priorities safety, choosing vehicles that meet these standards, or simply staying informed about key developments like these.

Whether you’re a regular road user or you're planning on buying, driving or insuring a heavy goods vehicle, we know that the TRUCK SAFE programme will be a real game-changer in the ongoing quest to make Britain's roads safer for everyone.