Leuven, Belgium – Euro NCAP is proud to announce that its groundbreaking SAFER TRUCKS programme has received the 2025 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, a recognition of its innovative work to bring independent safety ratings to heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). This marks a pivotal moment for commercial vehicle safety in Europe and underlines the necessity of addressing all vehicle types in the drive toward Vision Zero. The 2025 winners were honoured by HRH Prince Michael at a prestigious awards ceremony in London on Tuesday, 25 November.
This award is a testimony to our hard work. Trucks are often overlooked in vehicle safety despite being involved in some of the most severe crashes. While cars have become significantly safer over the last two decades, the safety of heavy vehicles has not received the same level of scrutiny. We’re changing that, and this award affirms that we are on the right path.
This award is not just a recognition of the work we’ve done. It’s a signal that the industry is ready for change. SAFER TRUCKS is an evolving initiative, rooted in collaboration, independence, and evidence. Our mission going forward is to ensure every vehicle on the road – whether it’s a city tipper or a long-haul tractor – meets a high standard of protection for all road users. That means continuing to raise the bar on truck safety and adapting our protocols to reflect the risks that exist on real-world roads. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and committed to how far we still need to go.
— Matthew Avery, Director of Strategic Development Euro NCAP
While HGVs represent just 3% of the vehicle fleet on European roads, statistics show that they are responsible for 15% of road fatalities. Data further illustrates that 90% of casualties in HGV crashes are rather vulnerable road users and not truck occupants. These stark numbers highlight the urgent need for independent safety assessment and innovation in truck design. Vision Zero cannot be achieved without significant improvements to truck safety.
Euro NCAP launched the SAFER TRUCKS initiative in 2024, releasing the first-ever independent safety ratings for HGVs. A year on, the programme has now achieved an increasing number of five-star results with more manufacturers actively engaging with the protocol. The initiative not only empowers fleet buyers with clear safety information but also encourages industry-wide improvements.
Testing that Addresses a Complex Challenge
The SAFER TRUCKS programme is the first to implement Euro NCAP’s new Stages of Safety framework, which evaluates safety across the crash lifecycle:
- Safe Driving – assesses the vehicle technologies and features that assist in providing a safer driving experience for the driver and vehicle occupants.
- Crash Avoidance – measures the performance of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in preventing a wide range of collisions.
- Post-Crash Safety – evaluates the availability and usefulness of rescue information and the ease of occupant extrication after an accident.
Looking ahead to 2028, Euro NCAP is already expanding this framework to include full-width crash tests under the Crash Protection stage, a critical step toward evaluating passive safety in truck-to-car collisions and other collisions that involve vulnerable road users (VRUs). Furthermore, the scope of testing will continue to grow to encompass tipper trucks, refuse trucks, delivery trucks, and other city-based utility vehicles.
We’re continuing to evolve the protocol and expand to more vehicle types. This is not a one-time campaign but an ongoing, technical process that supports safer roads for all. Our work going forward will ensure that as technologies change and as urban and freight mobility evolves, truck safety is not left behind.
— Matthew Avery, Director of Strategic Development Euro NCAP
Turning Point for Industry and Stakeholders
The growing engagement of manufacturers reflects the shift in industry perspective: safety is becoming a competitive differentiator. Fleets now have access to clear star ratings and a dedicated CitySafe label, which highlights vehicles with features that protect vulnerable road users in urban environments. This has already led to marked improvements in newly tested vehicles.
Supporting this progress, stakeholders of the programme are voicing their commitment:
Sweden and Trafikverket continues the hard work towards Vision Zero and see Euro NCAP as a key enabler. Whilst we have reduced road deaths in other sectors, we see that heavy trucks are over-represented in fatal crashes both on Swedish and European roads. We are fully supportive of Euro NCAP developing and introducing this rating of HGVs.
— Rikard Fredriksson, Senior Advisor, Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration) & Chair of HGV Group Euro NCAP
DEKRA has worked in safety for 100 years and today is proud to be an accredited laboratory for Euro NCAP active safety testing. The SAFER TRUCKS Programme is a key initiative to make heavy goods vehicles on European roads safer. Avoiding truck accidents is especially important because, due to the mass involved, they have particularly severe consequences. As one of Euro NCAP’s leading truck safety labs, DEKRA is committed to making a vital contribution towards Vision Zero.
— Filip Klug, Deputy Head DEKRA Technology Center
We’re pleased to support Euro NCAP’s pioneering work on HGV and van safety ratings. This initiative will give fleet operators and businesses clear, independent information to choose safer vehicles, which has real potential to reduce casualties on our roads. Improving the safety standards of commercial vehicles is essential to protecting all road users.
— Mark Cartwright, Head of Commercial Vehicle Incident Prevention National Highways
Euro NCAP’s SAFER TRUCKS programme provides QBE with independent safety ratings for commercial vehicles, giving us detailed insights to strengthen our underwriting approach. By combining Euro NCAP’s evaluation of advanced safety technologies with individual fleet claims data, we can assess risk exposure at the level of each vehicle. Over time, this will enable us to enhance our technical pricing models and deliver a more informed view of both vehicle and operator risk. Ultimately, prioritising safer vehicles helps reduce claims volatility and supports our customers in creating safer roads.
— Daniel King, London Market Portfolio Manager QBE European Operations
This prestigious recognition is not just a celebration of what has been accomplished, but a clear call to action. As commercial traffic continues to rise across Europe, independent safety benchmarks like SAFER TRUCKS are vital to shaping a safer mobility future. Euro NCAP will continue its commitment to improving heavy vehicle safety with transparent assessment, robust protocols, and a vision to protect every road user.
About the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards
Established in 1987 by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards celebrate the most outstanding achievements in global road safety. Since 2001, more than 320 organisations have received recognition for their work in reducing road deaths and injuries. These awards span key focus areas including safe vehicles, road safety management, infrastructure, post-crash response, and more.
