Investigation Tests Whether Car Safety Systems and HGV Underrun Bars Can Prevent Rear-End Crashes

HGVs were involved in almost one in five fatal or serious-injury crashes on England’s motorways and major A-roads in 2024 despite making up only 10 per cent of traffic. GB News reported that the agency is working with Euro NCAP, Sweden's transport authority, and Germany's ADAC.

HGVs accounted for 10 per cent of traffic on the strategic road network in 2024 yet featured in almost one in five crashes causing death or serious injury.

Rear-end crashes made up 39 per cent of all HGV incidents that year, including 160 cases where a car or smaller vehicle struck the back of an HGV. Almost one in five deaths or serious injuries linked to HGVs occurred in these collisions, out of 1,151 total HGV crashes. Researchers conducted two rounds of crash testing earlier in 2025.

The first examined whether advanced emergency braking systems in modern cars could detect the rear of different HGV trailers. Performance varied by trailer design, and older systems sometimes failed to detect the lorry at all. The second round tested rear underrun protection bars.

Several bars failed to prevent test vehicles from sliding underneath trailers. GB News reported that researchers compared the bars against international standards and similar U.S. tests. Roads and Buses Minister Simon Lightwood said every death on the roads is a tragedy and welcomed the research.

The findings will inform the government's Road Safety Strategy, which targets a 65 per cent reduction in road deaths and serious injuries by 2035. Sheena Hague, Director of Road Safety at National Highways, said the testing would help identify practical steps to prevent such collisions or reduce their impact.