The government is launching a major crackdown on road deaths, with a significant reduction to the legal drink-drive limit in England and Wales at the heart of its new strategy. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has branded the current annual death toll of around 1,600 people as "totally unacceptable".
The proposed changes, now under public consultation, form the first comprehensive road safety strategy in years. They aim to tackle persistent dangers, from uninsured motorists to dangerous headlight glare, and introduce stricter rules for new and older drivers.
Lower Alcohol Limit and New Tech to Target Drink-Drivers
Currently, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland have a limit of 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, one of the highest in Europe and unchanged since 1967. The new plan would see this reduced to 22 micrograms in England and Wales, bringing it into line with Scotland.
This move comes as data shows one in six road deaths in 2023 involved drink-driving. Alongside the lower limit, ministers are exploring the use of alcohol interlock devices. These would be mandated for convicted drink-drivers before they could regain their licence, a measure supported by four in five drivers according to an RAC survey.
Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, said: "Our research has found it has broad backing from the motoring public. This technology is globally proven to save lives by preventing convicted drink-drivers from getting behind the wheel drunk again."
Stricter Rules for Young and Older Motorists
A key focus is on young drivers, who are disproportionately involved in serious crashes. Drivers aged 17-24 make up just 6% of licence holders but are involved in almost 25% of fatal and serious injury collisions.
To address this, the Department for Transport is proposing a minimum learning period of three to six months for learner drivers. This period, measured by hours on the road, is designed to ensure new drivers gain experience in varied conditions like night driving and heavy traffic before taking their test.
Crystal Owen, who lost her 17-year-old son Harvey in a crash, welcomed the move but urged the government to go further. She advocates for a graduated licensing scheme that restricts new drivers from carrying peer-age passengers, calling it "the single most effective protection for young drivers".
For older drivers, the strategy includes plans for mandatory eyesight tests at age 70 and then every three years thereafter. This replaces the current system which relies on self-reporting. With the number of older drivers rising, cognitive testing is also being considered.
A Comprehensive Push to Save Lives
The strategy is a response to a stalled decline in road casualties since 2010, which has seen the UK slip in European safety rankings. While road deaths have fallen dramatically since the 1970s, the 1,602 fatalities recorded in 2024 underscore the ongoing challenge.
Heidi Alexander highlighted the immense personal and financial cost of these collisions, stating they cost the NHS billions. The wide-ranging consultation also targets illegal 'ghost' number plates, uninsured drivers, and those who fail to wear seatbelts.
Edmund King, AA president, supported the eyesight test plans, noting: "The likelihood of crashes increases once someone is over the age of 70 and markedly rises for those above the age of 80... with eyesight often a worrying factor."
The government's road safety overhaul represents its most significant intervention in decades, aiming to drive down preventable deaths through a combination of stricter laws, new technology, and enhanced driver training.
