Why is Brake campaigning for all new vehicles to have life-saving technology fitted as standard
There is no good reason for any new vehicle to be built without the latest-generation, life-saving vehicle safety technology outlined in the General Safety Regulations.
In the UK, we helped shape these regulations which have now been adopted in the EU and Northern Ireland [1].
Now it’s time for us to raise the standard in Britain and make all new vehicles as safe as they can be, with mandatory safety features that are known to prevent deaths and reduce serious injuries, such as intelligent speed assistance, automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance.
Key facts
- In 2024, 1,671 people were killed on UK roads and almost 29,000 were seriously injured. Aside from during the pandemic, there has been no significant reduction in the number of people killed and injured on our roads in the last decade.
- Human error is estimated to be at least one of the causes in most crashes.
- Advanced vehicle technology can play a significant role in improving road safety and prevent a great number of families and communities from needless suffering.
In July 2022, the European Union introduced a new Vehicle General Safety Regulation [2], making certain vehicle safety features mandatory for new vehicles. The new safety measures will help protect passengers, pedestrians and cyclists, and although not mandatory, many features are available in vehicles sold in the UK.
It has been estimated that these safety measures could prevent more than 1,700 deaths and 15,000 serious injuries over 16 years, if the full package of measures was fully implemented in Britain, and save up to £7 billion in health costs [3,4].
Research by Brake in 2025 found that 35% of drivers surveyed have turned off at least one safety feature in their car such as lane-keeping assistance and reversing cameras or sensors [5].
In September 2023, Brake surveyed 2,033* car drivers about vehicle safety technology in their cars. We found a worrying lack of knowledge about how the latest technology can help prevent crashes.
Click here to read the survey reportIn July 2024, led by Brake, a consensus of 50+ organisations and individuals from across the road safety community wrote to the Transport Secretary urging them to prioritise vehicle safety
Click here to read the full reportIn March 2025, Brake surveyed 2,016 car drivers about their knowledge of vehicle safety technology. We found that people want themselves and the people they share roads with to be safe.
Click here to read the full survey reportIn October 2025, Brake and more than 45 organisations wrote again to the Secretary of State for Transport, urging them to adopt the latest vehicle General Safety Regulation updates
Click here to read the letter
