Hi-Vis Vest Guide for Delivery Drivers in the UK

Delivery drivers are on the road and roadside throughout every shift — loading bays, petrol forecourts, residential streets, and busy industrial sites all present real risks. A high-visibility vest is a simple, low-cost garment that dramatically reduces the risk of a driver going unseen in low-light or high-traffic conditions. The question is: which type do you actually need?

TL;DR: Most UK delivery drivers working near traffic or in low-light conditions benefit from a Class 2 EN ISO 20471 hi-vis vest. Logo embroidery and DTF printing are available — useful for driver professionalism and brand consistency.

Do Delivery Drivers Have to Wear Hi-Vis by Law?

There is no single UK law that requires all delivery drivers to wear hi-vis at all times. However, several specific regulations do mandate it in certain contexts:

• Roadside and carriageway work: Drivers who exit their vehicle on or near a public road are covered by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 — employers must assess the risk and provide appropriate PPE, which typically means hi-vis in road-adjacent situations.
• Construction and industrial sites: Any delivery driver entering a construction site must comply with that site’s PPE requirements — almost always including Class 2 or Class 3 hi-vis.
• Loading bays and warehouses: Drivers entering operational warehouse or loading areas will typically be required to wear hi-vis by the receiving site’s own health and safety policy.

In practice, the safest approach for any fleet operator is to equip all drivers with a Class 2 EN ISO 20471 hi-vis vest as standard. The garment costs a few pounds and removes any ambiguity about compliance.

Hi-Vis Classes Explained for Drivers

EN ISO 20471 defines three classes of high-visibility garment based on the area of retroreflective and fluorescent material:

For a typical courier or parcel delivery driver, Class 2 is the appropriate choice — it provides meaningful protection without the bulkiness of a full Class 3 jacket. If drivers regularly work near fast-moving traffic (fuel deliveries, roadside assistance), Class 3 is the safer option.

See the full range in our hi-vis workwear category, including vests, jackets, and waterproof hi-vis options.

Branded Hi-Vis for Delivery Fleets

A hi-vis vest is not just a safety garment — it is also a moving advertisement for your business. Every time a driver pulls up at a residential address or commercial site, the vest is visible. Fleet operators increasingly use embroidered or DTF-printed hi-vis vests to:

• Display the company name and logo on the back
• Add a driver ID or vehicle number for accountability
• Reinforce professionalism and brand trust with customers
• Differentiate their drivers from other couriers on busy sites

The most common branding position on a hi-vis vest is the full back — a large print area ideal for a company name and URL. Left and right chest positions are used for logos and driver IDs. Note that embroidery on fluorescent fabric requires careful handling to ensure the EN ISO 20471 classification is maintained — check with your supplier that branding does not reduce the effective fluorescent or reflective area below the minimum thresholds.

Browse our branded hi-vis options — all available with logo embroidery or DTF print and available from the hi-vis category. Use our Bundle Wizard below to build your driver uniform package.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Related Reading

• Complete guide to hi-vis workwear
• Hi-vis jacket classes 1, 2, and 3 — what’s the difference?
• EN ISO 20471 hi-vis safety standards explained
• Workwear guide for warehouse operatives

Written by the WorkwearLab Editorial Team — Burnley, Lancashire