A new regulation relating to safety markings on heavy goods vehicles and trailers will come into force from October.

All new ‘type approved’ HGVs and trailers over a specified weight will have to display highly visible marking tape on the rear and side panels of the vehicle.

By making these vehicles more conspicuous to other road users, especially at night, the objective is to reduce death and serious injury resulting from collisions with large HGVs and trailers.

Initially, the new legislation will apply to new ‘type approved’ HGVs with a gross vehicle weight above 7.5 tonnes and trailers above 3.5 tonnes operating in the UK and Europe. The regulation will only begin to impact other HGVs from 2011.