Brigade Electronics

Vision Zero

Vision Zero is a global road safety initiative focused on eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through safer infrastructure, smarter regulations and advanced vehicle safety technology.
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What is Vision Zero?

Launched in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has become a multi-national road traffic safety project. Vision Zero highlights the importance of equitable mobility for all.

Vision Zero’s principles focus on the fundamental improvements that need to be made to improve road safety standards, along with the policies that should be put in place, to prevent needless fatalities and injuries caused by road traffic collisions.

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. The strategy has proved successful across Europe with initiatives like London’s Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and Europe’s General Safety Regulation (GSR) and is now gaining momentum in major North American cities.

Vision Zero highlights the importance of equitable mobility for all.

Vision Zero’s principles focus on the fundamental improvements that need to be made to improve road safety standards, along with the policies that should be put in place, to prevent needless fatalities and injuries caused by road traffic collisions.

The strategy has proved successful across Europe with initiatives like London’s Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and Europe’s General Safety Regulation (GSR) and is now gaining momentum in major North American cities.

The Vision Zero has been pivotal to enhancing road safety across the world with numerous countries adopting the initiative to update and enhance their road safety regulations. This includes the introduction of London’s Direct Vision Standard in the UK, and the European Commission’s initiative, Europe on the Move, which seeks to shape and improve road and mobility systems of the future.

Along with ever-evolving road safety regulations, comes the growing responsibility for transport operators, fleet managers and drivers to ensure their vehicles correctly comply with the legislation. This can be particularly challenging when travelling cross-border.

Vision Zero has been pivotal to enhancing road safety across the world with numerous countries adopting the initiative to update and enhance their road safety regulations. This includes the introduction of London’s Direct Vision Standard in the UK, and the European Commission’s initiative, Europe on the Move, which seeks to shape and improve road and mobility systems of the future. North America has also adopted the Vision Zero model, with 40+ cities across the US and Canada taking on the initiative.

Along with ever-evolving road safety regulations, comes the growing responsibility for transport operators, fleet managers and drivers to ensure their vehicles correctly comply with the legislation. This can be particularly challenging when travelling cross-border.

Key Strategies Driving Change

Safer Streets and Infrastructure

Cities are redesigning intersections, adding bike lanes and introducing pedestrian-friendly zones to create safer spaces for all road users.

Speed Management

Speed limit reductions in high-risk areas have proven effective in reducing crash severity and fatalities.

Data Driven Solutions

Using crash data and analytics, cities identify high-risk areas and implement targeted interventions to prevent collisions.

Technology Integration

Vision Zero encourages using cutting-edge technologies, such as camera systems, vehicle sensors, and automated enforcement tools.

Road Safety Regulations in Europe

Efforts to improve road safety in Europe and the UK have resulted in a raft of varying road regulations, rules and specifications for different types of vehicles.

Although initiatives like Europe on the Move and the EU General Safety Regulation share a common goal – to improve road safety standards across the region – each country and its relevant governing body are independently responsible for reviewing and putting in place their own legislation.

This means that rules for road safety will inevitably differ from nation to nation. The cross over between left-hand lane driving to right-hand lane driving between the UK and Europe further complicates matters.

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London's Direct Vision Standard

In October 2020, the Direct Vision Standard was introduced in the UK. The first legislation of its kind in Europe, it specifies that all goods vehicles weighing more than 12 tonnes require a permit to drive into Greater London, including vehicles from outside the UK.
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Milan Blind Spot Regulation

Milan’s Blind Spot Regulation requires owners of any vehicles in categories M2, M3, N2 and N3, dynamically circulating in Milan’s Area B from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., to have vehicle safety equipment capable of detecting the presence of pedestrians and cyclists near the front of the vehicle or on the sidewalk.

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Abbiegeassistent Turn Assistant

From July 2022, all long trucks in Germany that weigh up to 44 tonnes and are 25.25 metres in length must abide by Abbiegeassistent. Alongside this, the regulations recommend (but don’t require) that trucks weighing over 7.5 tonnes are fitted with a side camera and a side sensor warning system to alert drivers to objects and people in the nearside blind spot.

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Angles Morts

From January 2021, new safety regulations were introduced in France requiring all vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, whether they are used for goods or passenger transport, to display blind spot stickers. These stickers, known as ‘angles morts’, must be clearly and appropriately displayed on both the sides and the rear informing others of the vehicle’s blind spots.

Vision Zero in North America

North American cities, states, and provinces are adopting the movement to reduce traffic fatalities and severe injuries.

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USA

Over 40 U.S cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Seattle have implemented Vision Zero programs. These cities focus on strategies such as reducing speed limits, redesigning streets to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety, and enhancing enforcement measures.
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Canada

Canadian cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal are following suit with Vision Zero initiatives. The focus is on protecting vulnerable road users and creating equitable transportation systems.

How does Brigade support Vision Zero?

As a global leader in vehicle safety systems, Brigade has been pivotal in driving the Vision Zero movement by getting customers compliant for DVS in London, Milan’s Blind Spot Regulation, Europe’s GSR, and other vehicle safety initiatives around the world.

These initiatives aim to reduce collisions with vulnerable road users (VRU) by eliminating the blind spot on a vehicle. This is vehicle safety technology that Brigade has been pioneering since 1976.

Transport for London (TFL) Logo

Direct Vision Standard (DVS)

DVS is a legislation enforced by Transport for London (TfL) requiring HGVs weighing more than 12 tons to possess a permit to drive in Greater London.

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Transport for London (TFL) Logo

EU General Safety Regulation (GSR)

Brigade products comply with the EU’s GSR, which mandates the inclusion of advanced safety features in vehicles. These technologies can be incorporated into Vision Zero strategies to improve vehicle fleet safety.

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Transport for London (TFL) Logo

Milan Blind Spot Regulation

Milan’s Blind Spot Regulation requires owners of any vehicles in categories M2, M3, N2 and N3, dynamically circulating in Milan’s Area B from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., to have vehicle safety equipment capable of detecting the presence of pedestrians and cyclists near the front of the vehicle or on the sidewalk.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Brigade’s products be retrofitted?

Yes. All of Brigade’s products can be bought and retrofitted by one of our Brigade Service Partners and approved fitters. You can find one near you.

Which vehicles can Brigade’s products be fitted to?

Brigade’s products can be applied to a wide range of vehicle types, makes and models. These include straight trucks, semi-trucks, fuel tankers, tippers and vans. For full details about the vehicle types we support and recommended products, please visit our vehicles page.

Do Brigade’s products come with a warranty?

Yes. All of Brigade’s products come with a one, two, three or five year warranty. In some cases, products are supplied with lifetime warranties. Find out more about our warranties.

Keep safety in motion

Partner with the global leader in commercial vehicle safety to find the right solution for your operation.

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