As cities become increasingly congested and concerns over road safety grow, many municipalities are implementing new regulations to improve the safety of road users, particularly vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists One such initiative is the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) for lorries, which aims to improve the visibility of large goods vehicles on London’s roads.
The DVS was introduced by Transport for London (TfL) and came into effect on 26 October 2020 Under the DVS, all lorries over 12 tonnes are required to obtain a safety permit to operate in Greater London The scheme is based on a star rating system, which assesses the level of direct vision that a driver has from the cab of their vehicle Lorries are rated from zero to five stars, with zero stars indicating the lowest level of direct vision and five stars indicating the highest.
To obtain a safety permit, lorries must meet the minimum one-star rating Lorries rated below one star are considered non-compliant and are required to be fitted with additional safety equipment, such as cameras and sensors, to improve visibility Lorries rated between one and five stars are deemed compliant and do not require any additional safety measures.
The DVS is part of a broader effort to reduce the number of collisions involving lorries and vulnerable road users in London According to TfL, lorries were involved in 63% of fatal collisions with cyclists and 25% of fatal collisions with pedestrians in London between 2015 and 2017 By improving the visibility of lorries on the road, the DVS aims to reduce the risk of collisions and improve road safety for all users.
In addition to the DVS, TfL has also introduced a ban on lorries that do not meet certain safety standards in London Lorries that are rated below one star and are not fitted with the required safety equipment are not permitted to operate in Greater London Lorry DVS Compliance. This ban applies to both UK-registered and foreign-registered vehicles and is enforced by roadside checks and fixed penalty notices.
To comply with the DVS and obtain a safety permit, lorry operators must register their vehicles with TfL and provide proof of their vehicle’s star rating Operators must also demonstrate that their vehicles meet the required safety standards by fitting them with the necessary safety equipment Failure to comply with the DVS can result in fines of up to £550 per day per vehicle.
While the DVS is currently only mandatory in Greater London, other cities across the UK are considering adopting similar schemes to improve road safety The DVS has been praised by road safety advocates for its focus on improving the visibility of lorries, which are often involved in collisions due to blind spots from their cabs By requiring lorries to meet a minimum level of direct vision, the DVS aims to reduce the number of collisions and improve road safety for all users.
In order to comply with the DVS, lorry operators must invest in safety equipment to improve the visibility of their vehicles This includes fitting lorries with cameras, sensors, and additional mirrors to eliminate blind spots and give drivers a better view of their surroundings While these safety measures may require an initial investment, they are essential for ensuring compliance with the DVS and improving road safety.
Overall, lorry DVS compliance is an important initiative aimed at improving the safety of road users in London and beyond By requiring lorries to meet a minimum level of direct vision and banning non-compliant vehicles from operating in Greater London, the DVS aims to reduce the number of collisions involving lorries and vulnerable road users As cities continue to grow and road safety becomes an increasingly pressing issue, initiatives like the DVS play a crucial role in making our roads safer for everyone.