The UK government has launched its first major road safety reform in nearly two decades, but the long-awaited strategy is already facing criticism from bereaved families and motoring organisations for not doing enough to protect young motorists.
What the new strategy includes
Published on Wednesday 7 January 2026, the strategy outlines several key measures aimed at cutting deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads by 65% by 2035. The plans include introducing mandatory eye tests for drivers over the age of 70 and lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales.
A central proposal is a consultation on imposing a minimum learning period of up to six months for new drivers before they can take their test. The government argues this will give learners more time to develop crucial skills, citing statistics that show drivers aged 17-24 are involved in nearly a quarter of all road deaths and serious injuries, despite making up only around 6% of licence holders.
'A missed opportunity' for young drivers
However, campaigners who have long called for the introduction of Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) say the strategy represents a significant "missed opportunity". GDL systems, used in countries like Australia and Canada, place restrictions on newly qualified drivers, such as limits on night-time driving and the number of young passengers they can carry.
Edmund King, president of The AA, told Sky News that while the strategy was "welcome" and "ambitious", it fell short on this critical point. "We've spoken to colleagues in Canada and Australia about GDLs and the one measure that they all tell us saves the most lives is limiting the number of same-age passengers in a car for six months," he said. "We think that would have been a small price to pay and would save over 50 lives a year."
This sentiment is echoed by families who have lost loved ones. Nicole and Chris Taylor's daughter, Rebecca, was 18 when she died in a car crash in Northamptonshire in 2008. "If the government thinks this is enough for us - it's not enough," Nicole said. Chris Taylor added that while a longer learning period was a good idea, more protection was needed when young drivers start driving independently.
Other measures and government response
The strategy also addresses drink-driving, noting that the current limit in England and Wales is the highest in Europe and has remained unchanged since 1967. With drink-driving accounting for one in six road fatalities in 2023, the government says it will explore preventative technology like alcohol interlock devices.
To oversee the delivery of the strategy, a new Road Safety Board will be created, chaired by the minister for local transport. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the plan a "turning point", stating: "Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities. For too long, progress on road safety has stalled. The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade."
Despite this assurance, the consensus among safety campaigners is that the government's approach, while a step forward, lacks the bold, evidence-based reforms needed to dramatically reduce the disproportionate number of young people killed on the roads each year.
