All new vehicles sold in Britain will have mandatory life-saving safety technology from next year, the Government has announced.
In a major campaign success for Brake, legislation will be implemented requiring 18 vehicle safety technology features to be fitted as standard, in line with regulations that are already in place in Northern Ireland and the EU.
The announcement comes in response to the Government’s consultation on the topic, which was opened in January alongside the publication of its new Road Safety Strategy, aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035.
The consultation sought views on whether manufacturers that sell vehicles in Britain should be required to equip them with a suite of safety technologies, such as intelligent speed assistance, automated emergency braking (AEB), and advanced distraction warning.
In its official response announced last week (16 July), the Department for Transport (DfT) said its decision to go ahead with the move reflected “broad support for mandating vehicle safety technologies” [1].
Brake has long campaigned for Britain to adopt the package of features set out in the Vehicle General Safety Regulation, which was introduced in the EU in July 2022 and in Northern Ireland two years later.
It has been estimated that, if implemented in Britain, it could prevent more than 1,700 deaths and 15,000 serious injuries over 16 years and save up to £7 billion in health costs [2].
Ross Moorlock, Brake’s CEO, said: "We welcome the Government’s commitment to requiring life-saving vehicle safety technology for new vehicles sold in Britain. This is a pivotal moment for road safety and will go a long way in protecting people from preventable death and serious injury.
“These technologies are proven to reduce both the frequency and the severity of crashes, and requiring their introduction by law has the potential to save thousands of lives, spare families from devastating loss, and make our roads safer for everyone.
“As these regulations are implemented, it will also be vital to ensure drivers understand and use the systems correctly, and that clear, consistent information is available so consumers can make informed choices about vehicle safety."
The new legislation will be known as Dev’s Law in memory of 8-year-old Dev Naran who died in a motorway collision in May 2018. Dev’s Mum, Meera Naran MBE, has lobbied since her son’s death for all vehicles to be fitted with automated emergency braking (AEB).
This in-vehicle feature monitors the road ahead and automatically slows down the vehicle if the driver fails to respond to a collision threat. Meera believes it could have saved Dev’s life had it been fitted to the lorry that collided with the stationary car Dev was in.
Meera, who is an independent road safety campaigner and a Brake trustee, said: “This announcement reflects an enormous amount of hard work and leadership, and a commitment to improving road safety through evidence-based, preventative life-saving technologies.
“It is such an important milestone in road safety and will help ensure that countless lives are protected for years to come.
“I am deeply grateful to all those involved for their dedication to ensuring these features, including AEB, will soon be written into legislation in the UK, in Dev’s loving memory.
“The additional time built into the framework is also welcome, ensuring the legislation is informed by consultation feedback, evidence and industry expertise.”
The news comes as Brake announces Road Safety Week 2026, taking place from 15 to 21 November, with the theme Safe People on the Move.
Road Safety Week is Brake’s biggest campaign and runs every year to raise awareness of the devastating impact of road death and injury and call for key measures to make roads safer.
Last year’s campaign, Safe Vehicles Save Lives, was a rallying call to highlight the importance of safe vehicles that are designed to prevent crashes, and to cause less harm if they do crash.
The Government’s commitment to mandating vehicle safety technology in Britain just eight months later is testament to the meaningful, real-world impact Road Safety Week can have.
Ross added: “Fitting life-saving technology to vehicles is only part of the solution. To deliver their full safety benefits, drivers must understand and use these systems correctly.
“The recommendations in our Vehicle Safety Technology report that we published last year – which include education for motorists and enforcement by authorities to promote acceptance and use – are very much still relevant and important.
“But we also recognise that people make mistakes, and that all parts of the road system must work together to minimise the chance of a crash. That’s why we’re putting people at the heart of this year’s Road Safety Week.
“Safe People on the Move is about the way we use our roads, and how we can all be safe when we’re on the move. Whether we drive, walk, wheel or ride, we can all do something that will make a difference; we can all play a part to make our roads safer and protect each other from harm.”
Find out more about Road Safety Week and sign up here.