The logistics sector makes further safety gains
Logistics operators have maintained exceptional levels of compliance and safety, even as cost pressures and economic uncertainty continue. That is the headline finding of the Logistics UK Compliance Report 2026. The business group’s annual assessment of road regulation compliance shows higher MOT pass rates and more HGVs rated “low risk” on the DVSA’s compliance rating. It also shows fewer HGV collisions than in the previous 12 months.
Logistics UK launched the report on the 8th October at its Transport Manager conference in Falkirk. It highlights the impact of operator investment in safety technology. Fleet management systems, telematics and digital compliance tools have all helped to reduce risk.
Logistics UK’s Chief Executive Ben Fletcher said: “This year’s report shows that, against the backdrop of an increasingly complex operating environment, with rising costs and economic uncertainty adding pressure, our sector continues to make great strides in compliance. Investing in tools and technologies has provided operators with greater oversight of UK fleets, and ensured logistics can continue to deliver goods safely and efficiently.”
HGV annual test results continue to improve
HGV annual test performance in Great Britain improved again in 2025/26. This test is the HGV equivalent of an MOT. The initial failure rate fell from 10.4% to 10.0%, which is a reduction of more than two-thirds since 2008/09, when the rate stood at 32.4%. Final failure rates also declined, dropping from 7.1% to 6.7%. The final failure rate was 17.7% in 2008/09, so the long-term improvement is significant.
Fewer collisions involving HGVs
HGVs were involved in fewer collisions year on year. Reported accidents involving HGVs fell by 5.3% from 2023 to 2024, and casualties declined by 4.6% over the same period. The longer-term picture is even more encouraging. According to the report, reported HGV accidents have fallen by 74% since 2004, while casualties have dropped by almost 75%.
The report suggests several factors have combined to drive this sustained reduction. These include advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), higher vehicle safety standards, better driver training and increasingly sophisticated fleet safety management across the road freight industry.
“These figures demonstrate just how seriously the sector takes road safety, and the impact that the positive actions taken by the sector have had, and it is thanks to operators investing in the latest technology, maintaining vehicles to a high standard and educating workforces that there are fewer accidents involving HGVs on the strategic roads network,” added Fletcher. “Continued investment in safer road layouts, targeted enforcement and industry-led safety initiatives have also contributed to the downward trend.”
More operators rated low risk by the DVSA
The DVSA’s Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) shows continued improvement and higher numbers of low-risk HGV operators. Officials use the score to decide which vehicles to target for roadside inspections and depot audits. Scores run from the red band (highest risk) to green (lowest risk), with blue representing exemplary compliance.
According to the Compliance Report, HGV operators in the green band increased from 66.5% to 69.1%. Operators in the blue band rose from 0.6% to 0.7%. The report also notes a strong correlation between OCRS banding and annual test performance, with 98.7% of blue band operators achieving first-time pass rates.
The driver shortage remains a long-term challenge
Despite these successes, the report outlines how long-term pressures persist for the sector. Maintaining a sufficiently skilled HGV driver workforce is one significant challenge. Figures previously published in Logistics UK’s Employment and Skills Report 2026 show that 283,000 drivers were employed in the final quarter of 2024, down from 313,000 a year earlier.
The average age of an HGV driver is now 48.1. More than 60% of drivers are aged 45 or over, and only 4% are under the age of 25.
“Without drivers, we would not have clothes in our stores, food on our supermarket shelves and medicine in our pharmacies,” said Fletcher. “It is essential that the sector has the capabilities to address these challenges, which involves not only hiring for the right roles, but the right skills too. Employers and policymakers must work together, ensuring entry and progression pathways are accessible and deliverable for all.”
He added: “Our report highlights once again the commitment the sector has to compliance and ensuring essential goods are transported in the safest possible way for the businesses and communities that depend on them. Logistics underpins the UK economy: maintaining the highest standards across the industry and is fundamental to keeping supply chains moving safely, efficiently and reliably.”
