A quick-fire update on the risks and reporting gaps shaping highways safety – for busy leaders managing work under pressure.
An up-to-date view of safety performance across the sector
Safety risk in highways is being shaped well beyond site conditions alone.
The Health and Safety in highways report 2026 points to rising incursion risk, inconsistent reporting, pressure from tighter programmes, and a growing expectation that contractors demonstrate control with clear evidence.
Health and safety in highways report 2026
The latest statistics and their impacts
Discover the context behind 40% of supply chain vehicles failing basic defect checks – and case studies around:
- traffic management and vehicle segregation failures
- inadequate planning and weak risk assessment
- equipment safety and maintenance lapses
- training, competence, and supervision gaps
Industry perspectives on abuse and incursions
Incursions, abuse, and exposure are happening every day on live works. Hear from leading industry figures from businesses like Jointline and Core Highways – and discover RAISE, a new industry push aiming to turn fragmented reporting across the sector into a national resource.
Trusted sources
This report draws on data and guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, National Highways, and the Supply Chain Safety Leadership Group.
It also incorporates official UK road safety statistics, industry webinars, enforcement case studies, and emerging initiatives such as the Home Safe and Well programme and the RAISE data‑sharing platform.