Government plans to tackle HGV driver shortage places road users at risk

by Peter Lorence, serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell

The UK is currently suffering a shortfall of around 90,000 HGV drivers. In a bid to tackle this, the government has announced measures to make 50,000 more HGV driving tests available, which includes streamlining the testing process. However, in doing so, I am concerned that the government is placing the safety of all road users at risk.

Towing trailers and caravans

The changes include no longer requiring that car drivers need to take a test to tow a trailer or caravan. This is in spite of mandatory testing being introduced in 1997 due to safety concerns, as it was recognised that training was required to drive an articulated vehicle. 

In recent years, the current test is failed by three out of 10 drivers. Based on testing numbers from the last three years, had they not been subject to a test, a further 26,250 drivers could now be towing on our roads, yet having been unable to demonstrate the minimum standard of driving and competence to tow a trailer or caravan.

The government now merely encourages drivers to undertake training for towing trailers and caravans. This is in spite of the challenges that can be posed by towing. Training and testing is essential to ensure that inexperienced drivers know how to deal with the movement of a caravan, especially if swaying or pitching. 

With holidays impacted by Covid-19, caravan purchases surged by 71 per cent in July 2020. Of those, 37 per cent had never owned a caravan before. With Covid-19 ongoing and the Delta variant impacting on travel options, domestic holidays will continue to be popular and therefore so too will caravan usage. 

HGV Licensing

HGV testing will also be streamlined, meaning that only one test will be required to drive rigid and articulated lorries. This means that new prospective HGV drivers will be able to secure their articulated lorry licence without having first obtained their rigid lorry licence. These measures are in addition to extending drivers’ working hours. 

HGV traffic is disproportionality responsible for deaths on our roads. In London, for example, research revealed that HGVs had been involved in 78 per cent of fatal collisions with cyclists and 20 per cent of fatal collisions with pedestrians; this is despite only making up four per cent of London’s traffic. Seeking to shorten the testing process will do little to achieve the Mayor of London’s goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from London’s roads by 2041. 

Conclusion

I am conscious of the impact that the driver shortage is having on our nation and the need to address this. However, meeting this challenge should not put the safety of other road users at risk. With the NHS already under pressure because of Covid-19, now is not the time to weaken training and testing standards that are designed to ensure safety on our roads. Instead, the government should invest in expanding training and testing infrastructure, rather than putting others in danger and having our most vulnerable road users potentially paying the ultimate price.

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Now is not the time to weaken training and testing standards that are designed to ensure safety on our roads. Instead, the government should invest in expanding training and testing infrastructure, rather than putting others in danger and having our most vulnerable road users potentially paying the ultimate price.”