THE first Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade will save thousands of lives on Britain’s roads by tackling drink driving, improving training for young drivers, and introducing mandatory eye tests for older motorists.

Launched on Wednesday, January 7, the strategy sets out an ambitious plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the nation’s roads by 65 per cent by 2035, with an even more stretching target of 70 per cent 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 six per cent of licence holders but are involved in 24 per cent of fatal and serious collisions. To address this, the Government will consult on introducing a three- or six-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.

Independent road safety campaigner, Meera Naran MBE, whose eight-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.”

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."

Recognising that over the past decade, 22 European countries have made more progress than the UK in reducing road fatalities, the strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach.

The system acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not. Rather than placing responsibility solely on individual drivers, it 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.

A new Road Safety Board, chaired by the Minister for Local Transport, will oversee delivery of the strategy, supported by an Expert Advisory Panel drawing membership from local authorities, emergency services, active travel groups, and road safety organisations.

Vulnerable road users remain a key focus. Motorcyclists account for just one per cent of motor vehicle traffic but 21 per cent of road deaths, while children from the most deprived neighbourhoods face four times the pedestrian casualty rate of those in the least deprived areas.

To address these disparities, the strategy includes consulting on reforms to motorcycle training, testing and licensing; and supporting trials to improve motorcycle safety on rural roads.

An estimated one in three road traffic fatalities involve someone driving or riding for work, prompting the launch of a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter pilot. This will establish a national standard for employers requiring people to drive or ride for work, covering HGVs, vans, cars, motorcycles, e-cycles and cycles. It aims to help businesses in both the public and private sectors reduce work-related road risk by promoting good practice, accountability, and compliance with existing legislation.

The success of this strategy depends on strong partnerships between government, local authorities, businesses, road safety professionals, emergency services, and the public working together to ensure that every journey starts and ends safely.

Edmund King OBE, Director of The AA Charitable Trust and AA president, welcomes the strategy:

“This is a positively radical reframing of road safety which is long overdue. We commend the government for its wide ranging and ambitious strategy and ambitious targets which we hope will save the lives of thousands of people.

“Tackling drivers who drive under the influence of drink or drugs, people who don't wear their seatbelts and those getting behind the wheel without insurance are key to reducing road deaths and serious injuries. We also endorse the mantra of road safety being a life-long education, not just when learning to ride or drive."

“RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis agrees:

“We’ve long said the dial needs to be turned up when it comes to reducing road casualties, so we warmly welcome this strategy – and especially the reintroduction of casualty reduction targets, that were scrapped 16 years ago.

“The simple truth is that this strategy can’t come soon enough. Britain might have some of the safest roads by international standards, but on average four people are still killed and 76 seriously injured every single day. That’s an unacceptable number of lives being ruined or cut short.

“The strategy addresses many areas we know drivers are concerned about, including drink and drug-driving, ‘ghost’ plates and dazzling headlights. The inclusion of a commitment to consult on the use of alcohol interlocks for convicted drink-drivers – which are internationally proven to save lives – is particularly encouraging, especially given the extent to which drivers are supportive of their use. It’s also positive to see proposals on the table for both improving young driver safety and tackling the scourge of uninsured drivers who push up motor insurance costs for everyone.

“It’s important to remember the ultimate success of any new or updated penalties or laws will depend on awareness among drivers and enforcement. But undoubtedly this strategy is a real chance to give the whole topic of road safety the focus and public attention it deserves. What we need now is for it to quickly evolve into a set of concrete actions that make the roads safer for everyone.”

IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes added:

“An emphasis on younger drivers and motorcycle safety is particularly positive, considering these are some of our most vulnerable road users. We’re also pleased to see action being taken on drug driving, which is a growing menace and by giving police additional powers to take action against those caught at the roadside, it will serve notice that such dangerous behaviours will not be tolerated.”