The Department for Transport has published a well over-due new Road Safety Strategy in January 2026 aimed at reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads each year. This blog will focus on the strategy surrounding work-related driving.
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Strategy
The Department for Transport’s strategy overarching target is to see a 65% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured by 2035, with 2022-2024 being a baseline. To achieve this, the strategy focuses on four key ‘themes’:
- Supporting road users;
- Safer vehicles and post-collision care;
- Safer Infrastructure; and
- Robust enforcement to protect all road users.
Work-related road safety charter
The government announced in the strategy that they will be piloting a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter to support professional drivers and riders. This pilot ensures that all are safe on the road. This includes:
- HGV’s
- LGV’s
- Cars
Motorcycles - E-cycles; and
- Bicycles
The pilot is running for two years and will be in collaboration with many businesses and relevant industries, monitored and fully evaluated.
New vehicles and their data
In 9 out of 10 collisions, human error is a contributory factor. This is why the government has proposed that all new vehicles (under a specific vehicle category) be fitted with 18 new safety technologies. These safety technologies include emergency braking, blind spot information, advanced distraction warning and drowsiness and attention warnings, to name a few.
Alongside this, all vehicles are “connected” – they can communicate with other vehicles, infrastructure and networks. The government aims to join the Data for Road Safety, whereby traffic data can be exchanged through vehicle manufacturers, local and regional road operators and emergency services to improve future road safety delivery.
Road safety investigation branch
Alongside the Charter, the government will open a data-led Road Safety Investigation Branch. Using real-world evidence, the branch will establish safety interventions, policies and prevent & enforcement strategies. These will be based on datasets, analytics and cross-sector insights, rather than the RSIB having a physical presence.
The branch aims to produce actionable safety recommendations, including road design, vehicle safety, user behaviour, enforcement and infrastructure.
What this means
The strategy signals a clear shift toward tighter expectations on employers whose staff drive to work. Businesses will need to review and update their driving‑for‑work policies, ensure vehicles meet new safety technology standards and prepare for greater scrutiny as data‑led investigations come in.
As national standards rise, employers who fail to adapt may face increased liability exposure, while injured employees may have stronger grounds to argue that additional safety measures should have been in place.
How can we help?
Holly-Louise Batey is a Trainee Solicitor in our Personal Injury team, which is ranked in Tier One by the independently research publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the topics discussed in this article, please contact Holly or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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If this article relates to a specific case/cases, please note that the facts of this case/cases are correct at the time of writing.