Direct Vision Standard requirements

As of March 1, 2021, the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) came into effect in Greater London.
This is a “safety permit” that all heavy vehicles over 12 tons must comply with.
If a vehicle does not have this permit, a driver will not be allowed access to the entire Greater London area.
Good driver visibility is the most important requirement within the DVS.

Every day, large vehicles such as trucks move through London’s narrow streets.
This regularly leads to accidents that also involve vulnerable road users such as cyclists.
On average, the number of accidents involving both trucks and cyclists in London is more than twice as high as in the rest of Britain.

Star rating

Therefore, the city government has set a goal of no traffic deaths or serious accidents by 2041.
The Direct Vision Standard is one of the measures to ensure that this goal is met.

A rating based on 1 to 5 stars is used to determine whether and to what extent a vehicle complies with the DVS.
A minimum of one star is required to apply for the safety permit.
The star rating is given based on the driver’s direct view of the surroundings.

A vehicle in which the driver can overlook much of the surrounding area receives a high score.
Vehicles with limited driver visibility are no longer allowed in Greater London.

Apply for Direct Vision Standard permit

Applying for a permit for the DVS involves a number of steps:

Step 1: Do I need a permit?
Only heavy vehicles over 12 tons operating in Greater London are required to apply for a DVS permit.

Step 2: How do I determine my security score?

Contact the manufacturer to find out what safety score a vehicle receives.
The manufacturer provides the vehicle’s license plate number to Transport for London at the same time.
This makes the safety score known to the authorities and allows the DVS application process to proceed.

Step 3: Apply for permit (for safety score 1 – 5)
If the vehicle has a safety score higher than 0, the permit can be applied to Transport for London.
All that is required for the application is the license plate number and the safety score provided by the manufacturer.

What if my score is 0?

Vehicles with a score of 0, according to the guideline, have insufficient direct vision and are therefore ineligible for a permit.

In order to still obtain a permit, it is necessary to equip the vehicle with additional safety systems that improve indirect vision.
This so-called “Safe System” increases the vehicle’s star rating, making it possible to still apply for the permit.

A vehicle must meet the following Safe System requirements to receive a star rating:

1. A Class V mirror on the side of the vehicle;
2. A Class VI mirror at the front of the vehicle;
3. Protective bars on the sides of the vehicle, except where impractical or impossible;
4. Exterior warning decals and markings alerting vulnerable road users to the danger around the vehicle;
5. A sensor system on the side of the vehicle that alerts the driver to the presence of vulnerable road users;
6. Audible maneuver warning that alerts vulnerable road users as soon as the vehicle turns;
7. A fully operational camera system on the side of a vehicle.

With our special DVS kit, trucks meet all Safe System requirements!