Highway engineers, road safety professionals and transport specialists will witness a series of live 50 mph crash demonstrations next week as Passive Safety UK stages what it describes as the UK’s first independent road safety demonstration event of its kind.
CRASH ’26 takes place on Thursday 9 July at Bentwaters Parks, the former USAF airfield at Rendlesham in Suffolk, bringing together highway authorities, manufacturers, researchers and emergency services for a day focused on improving roadside safety through the Safe System approach. The event also carries six hours of Continuing Professional Development accredited by the Institute of Highway Engineers.
Rather than relying on laboratory-style crash testing, attendees will see full-size, roadworthy vehicles used in realistic high-speed impact demonstrations designed to show the consequences of different roadside infrastructure choices and the benefits of forgiving roadside design.
The programme includes six live crash demonstrations, featuring passive signposts, vehicle restraint systems, crash cushions and an impact with an unprotected concrete bridge pier, allowing delegates to compare the outcomes of protected and unprotected roadside hazards under identical conditions.
Alongside the live demonstrations, visitors will hear presentations from industry experts including Mallatite, Jerol Industri AB, Lattix, GD Tech and Hill & Smith Infrastructure. Other sessions will explore topics ranging from roadside simulation technology to the challenges posed by evolving vehicle fleets, while attendees can also experience riding in an HGV, compare legal and illegal e-scooters, try e-bikes and take part in tyre safety demonstrations throughout the day.
The event builds on more than two decades of work by the passive safety movement in the UK. What began as the “Passive Revolution” brought together highway engineers, road safety practitioners and manufacturers to promote forgiving roadside infrastructure and helped develop guidance and standards that remain influential today. Passive Safety UK now continues that work through education, demonstrations and promoting best practice in roadside design.
Event organiser Andrew Pledge said: “CRASH ’26 has been created to give people something they simply cannot experience in a conference hall or classroom. Seeing full-scale impacts happen in front of you provides a real understanding of how roadside infrastructure behaves in a collision and why good design can make such a difference to the outcome.
“Whether you work in highway engineering, road safety, asset management or product development, we want delegates to leave with practical knowledge they can apply immediately. Just as importantly, we hope the event encourages discussion, collaboration and fresh thinking about how we continue making our roads more forgiving for everyone.”
Headline sponsor Mallatite will demonstrate its Jerol glass fibre composite passive post, while Lattix will unveil its new SafeHit aluminium passive signpost in the UK for the first time. Hill & Smith Infrastructure will also demonstrate the role correctly installed vehicle restraint systems play in protecting motorists from roadside hazards.
The free event is open to pre-registered delegates only and takes place at Bentwaters Parks, Rendlesham, with gates opening at 8.30am ahead of a mandatory safety briefing at 9.45am. Organisers say the day is intended to encourage networking, debate and first-hand learning for professionals involved in designing, managing and maintaining safer roads. To register, email this link.
(Picture – CRASH ’26)
