The UK government has launched a major new road safety strategy with the ambitious goal of drastically reducing deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads over the next decade.
A Bold Vision for Safer Roads
At the heart of the plan are two stretching targets: a 65 per cent reduction in all road deaths and serious injuries by 2035, and an even more ambitious 70 per cent reduction for children under the age of 16. The strategy, the first of its kind in over ten years, aims to reverse a decade of stalled progress that has seen Britain slip from third to fourth in European road safety rankings.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated the plan marks a turning point. "Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities," she said. "The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade."
Key Measures to Save Lives
The comprehensive strategy adopts an internationally recognised 'Safe System' approach, acknowledging that while human error is inevitable, serious harm is not. It moves beyond placing sole responsibility on drivers, instead ensuring road design, vehicle safety, enforcement, and education work together.
Major consultations and actions announced include:
- Lowering the drink drive limit: A consultation will be launched on reducing the limit in England and Wales, which has remained the highest in Europe since 1967. In 2023, one in six road deaths involved drink driving.
- Improved young driver training: To address the over-representation of 17-24 year olds in serious collisions, the government will consult on introducing a mandatory 3 or 6 month minimum learning period.
- Mandatory eye tests for older drivers: With an ageing population, a consultation on compulsory eyesight testing for those over 70 will begin, with options for cognitive testing also being developed.
- New vehicle safety tech: The strategy mandates 18 new vehicle safety technologies, such as autonomous emergency braking, bringing the UK in line with European standards.
Additional measures will crack down on illegal 'ghost' number plates, uninsured drivers, and vehicles without a valid MOT.
Focus on Vulnerable Road Users
The strategy places a particular emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable. This includes motorcyclists, who account for 21% of road deaths despite representing just 1% of traffic, and children from the most deprived areas, who face a pedestrian casualty rate four times higher than those in the least deprived neighbourhoods.
Campaigner Meera Naran MBE, who lost her eight-year-old son Dev in a collision, welcomed the strategy. "I am especially grateful to the Secretary of State for giving me her word that she would honour Dev... and for delivering on that commitment," she said.
A new Road Safety Investigation Branch will be established to analyse collision data and inform future prevention, while a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter pilot will tackle the estimated one in three fatalities involving someone driving for work.
Edmund King OBE, AA president, called the plan "a positively radical reframing of road safety which is long overdue," while IAM RoadSmart's Nicholas Lyes welcomed the focus on key behaviours and vulnerable users. The success of the strategy will now depend on strong partnerships between government, local authorities, businesses, and the public.
