HGV resources page

National Highways KNOW THE HGV ZONES

This online campaign partner resource page has been published to accompany the HGV campaign partner toolkit and web page. It is designed to equip you with the digital assets you need to support our ‘KNOW THE HGV ZONES’ campaign.

Campaign audience and objectives

The campaign's target audience is all road users, including car and van drivers, as well as heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers.

All drivers tend to overestimate their own driving ability which causes a self-enhancement bias.

All road users need to be aware of HGV driver limitations and this campaign aims to raise awareness and knowledge of these areas of limited vision with road users, thereby increasing confidence. It also acts as a gentle reminder to HGV drivers to take extra care when initiating an overtake

Wave 3 of our HGV safety campaign 'Know the HGV Zones' goes live January - March 2025.

We've also produced a campaign toolkit that can be used as a menu for all of the content featured on this page

Campaign call to action

HGVs have limited vision. Don’t linger around them. Know the HGV zones.

If you do support the campaign, we'd love to hear about it for our evaluation. Please email marketing@nationalhighways.co.uk.

Download the Know the HGV zones toolkit.

How you can get involved

We would be delighted for you to help spread the word about this campaign and support us through your channels.

  1. Use a range of digital and social resources on your social media channels, websites, or any other digital channels, for example, digital screens.
  2. Distribute the posters where your audience might see them outdoor and in any retail areas, notice boards, or washrooms.
  3. Use campaign messages to create newsletters, blogs, or web articles to educate your audience about the campaign and HGV blind spots.
  4. Support the campaign via your internal communication channels such as email, intranet, training materials, and newsletters informing your colleagues, customers, or members about the campaign.
  5. Share the campaign’s social posts from National Highways’ Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn on your social channels.
  6. Direct your audience to the HGV campaign page when informing them about the correct behaviour around HGVs www.nationalhighways.co.uk/KnowTheHGVZones.

 

Creative resources

The campaign offers a range of assets for partners to use, including:

Social media still assets

Digital and social assets (including static posts as well as animated GIFs), to be used on your social media channels, websites, or any other digital channels, for example, digital screens.

Overtake HGVs safely

You're not always visible around HGVs

 HGVs have 4 zones of limited vision

Posters are to be used at out-of-home (OOH) placements as well as instore or in any indoor area where your audience might see them.

Campaign Narrative

Can be used for the creation of web content, blogs, a newsletter for your audience to read, or any internal communications to your colleagues or members.

Download the Narrative.

 

 

Key messages

All drivers

  • Know the zones of HGVs' limited vision when approaching and overtaking them.
  • Once you have started an overtake, move safely past the HGV. Allow plenty of room and do not linger alongside the HGV. Move back to the left as soon as you can but do not cut in.
  • Make it easy for an HGV driver to see you by moving out of areas of limited vision as soon as it’s safe to do so.
  • Never tailgate an HGV. It will prevent the HGV driver from seeing you and mean you can’t stop safely if there’s an incident.

  • Make sure your intentions are clear and visible so other drivers can see what you’re going to do. Be predictable.
  • Be prepared to cancel your manoeuvre if it would present a risk to others.
  • Assume there might be a vehicle in the lane beside you. Before you manoeuvre, look and look again.

  • HGVs make up 9% traffic on the strategic road network and are essential to keep the economy running. When they are involved in accidents this not only causes delays to other traffic but affects goods reaching their destination.
  • Of all the miles driven by HGVs in England, two-thirds of HGV miles are driven on the strategic road network. What’s more, HGV movements and distances are forecast to further increase by 2030.
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