HGVs are disproportionately involved in collisions with Vulnerable Road Users. In 2023, HGVs accounted for around 1% of all vehicles on the road but were involved in 10% of all vulnerable road user fatalities.
Over 4,900 pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists were injured in collisions with vehicles typicaly used in construction on Britain’s roads in 2023 with more than 25,000 people killed or injured over a 5 year period.*
- Of these 4,908 incidents, 1612 of those people were seriously injured while 169 tragically lost their lives.
- 38% of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) killed or injured were pedestrians, 31% motorcyclists and 31% pedal cyclists.
- Driver observation errors (misjudging speed, not looking properly) remain the commonest contributory factor. However, VRU behaviour remains similarly prevalent.
From previous data we know that in 2018 there were 5517 people killed or injured of which 1884 were killed or seriously injured. With 1781 killed or serioulsy injured in 2023, we have seen a reduction of 103 or 5.5% over the 5 years. Progress perhaps but not nearly enough…
Any drop in casualties is a step in the right direction, but the numbers remain far too high. Construction vehicles are still overrepresented in fatal crashes. Driver distraction and misjudgement are major factors – but VRU behaviour also plays a role. The industry must step up to raise safety standards, and the public must also be educated to be more aware of the risks.
We’re working with some of the most forward-thinking companies in construction to drive change, but we need more leaders to step up. With planning authorities and clients increasingly demanding CLOCS compliance, momentum is building but progress needs to be faster. Every company has a role to play in making our roads safer.
— Andy Brooke, CLOCS Programme Director
Health and safety law requires that employers manage risks to employees, sub-contractors and the community in which they operate.
Your legal responsibility
Under Regulations 4 and 13 of the 2015 CDM regulations, clients and principal contractors have a duty to ensure that the construction work they procure is carried out, so far as is reasonably practicable, without risk to the health or safety of any person affected by the project including the wider community and all vulnerable road users.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a general duty of care on employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees and also to protect others who may be affected by
their undertakings, including vulnerable road users.
Every number is a real person with real injuries – traumatising the casualty, their family, the driver, and witnesses. It will cost time, effort and no doubt some financial investment to reduce work related road risks – but how much could it cost if you don’t?
In 2014 my life changed forever when I was hit by a tipper truck whilst cycling in London. I lost my leg in the collision and have had over 12 operations and months of physiotherapy. I urge all construction companies to join up to CLOCS and take on board some simple, effective methods to make their construction activities safer. If signing up means saving someone the pain I went through, then it is absolutely worth it.
— Victoria Lebrec, RoadPeace spokesperson and casualty of a construction lorry crash
* Annual GB Road Safety Statistics published by DfT (latest 2023). Construction has identified and used its most common vehicle body types to enable a refined filter of wider HGV (over 3.5t) and LGV (3.5t or under) data.
