The first Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade will save thousands of lives on the nation’s roads by tackling drink driving, improving training for young drivers, and introducing mandatory eye tests for older motorists.
Launched today (Wednesday 7 January), the strategy sets out an ambitious plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035, with an even more stretching target of 70% for children under 16.
Approximately four people die on Britain’s roads every day, with thousands more seriously injured each year, but through targeted action on speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seat belts, and mobile phone use, thousands of these tragedies can be prevented.
The Government will consult on lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, which has remained unchanged since 1967 and is currently the highest in Europe.
In 2023, one in six road fatalities involved drink driving, but a consultation will explore the use of preventative technology, such as alcohol interlock devices, and new powers to suspend driving licences for those suspected of drink or drug driving offences.
This could mean that, in future, some drink drive offenders might be required to have one of these devices fitted to their vehicle as a condition of being allowed to drive again.
Inexperience behind the wheel is costing lives. Drivers aged 17-24 represent just 6% of licence holders but are involved in 24% of fatal and serious collisions. To address this, the Government will consult on introducing a 3 or 6 month minimum learning period, giving learner drivers more time to develop their skills in varied conditions such as night driving, adverse weather, and heavy traffic.
With the number of older drivers continuing to rise as Britain’s population ages, a consultation on mandatory eyesight testing for those over 70 will be launched, while options for cognitive testing will also be developed to protect all road users.
New measures will also target the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ plates designed to fool camera systems, while also cracking down on uninsured drivers and vehicles without a valid MOT.
Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said:
“Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities. For too long, progress on road safety has stalled. This strategy marks a turning point.
“We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their first lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence. The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade.”
Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:
“Our vision with this ambitious Road Safety Strategy is clear: to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads however they choose.
“One of the hardest parts of my job is speaking to families who have lost loved ones on our roads and this is something we as a Government are taking action to prevent. No family should have to endure that loss, and this strategy sets out how we will work to ensure fewer do.
“Experts and campaigners have long called for a comprehensive strategy that treats road safety as a shared responsibility – from car manufacturers and town planners to drivers and legislators.
“This strategy, the first in over a decade, shows a Government that is not just listening, but leading, and together, we can build a safer future for all road users.”
Independent road safety campaigner, Meera Naran MBE, whose 8-year-old son Dev, died in a road traffic collision said:
“I welcome this much-anticipated road safety strategy and am pleased to see a number of measures set out to reduce road deaths and serious injuries.
“I am especially grateful to the Secretary of State for giving me her word that she would honour Dev and recognise the importance of legislative change to adopt the General Safety Regulations, as Dev’s Law, and for delivering on that commitment. I look forward to working closely with the department to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken to establish a robust and effective framework.”
Over the past decade, 22 European countries have made more progress than the UK in reducing road fatalities, causing Britain to slip from third to fourth in European road safety rankings.
This strategy therefore set out a new approach to reverse a decade of stalled progress. The bold strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, which acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not.
Rather than placing responsibility solely on individual drivers, the system ensures that road design, vehicle safety, enforcement, and education work together to protect all road users.
A new Road Safety Investigation Branch will analyse collision patterns and inform prevention strategies, drawing on linked police and healthcare data to identify root causes and target interventions more effectively.
The strategy also mandates 18 new vehicle safety technologies, including autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. This will ensure drivers and road users in Great Britain benefit from access to these cutting-edge technologies and supports growth by requiring manufacturers to meet the same requirements across Europe.
