New Road Safety Strategy Released

The strategy plans to reduce deaths and serious injuries on England and Wales’s roads by 65% by 2035, with an additional target of 70% for children under 16 years. Every day 4 people are killed on our roads with a further 76 people seriously injured, which costs the NHS more than £2bn per year, Labour’s proposed shake-up of the driving laws should help to make the roads safer for everyone.

Whilst still at public consultation stage, the strategy focuses on older drivers, young drivers and drink driving. Read more below for how they might affect you:

Drivers over 70

Compulsory eye testing could be brought in every three years when drivers who are over 70 renew their driving licence. If they fail a compulsory eye test (NHS eye tests are free for over 60s), they could be banned from the roads. At the moment, older drivers simply have to declare that their sight is good enough to get behind the wheel. The Department for Transport (DfT) has also pledged to develop options for cognitive testing for older drivers to spot conditions such as dementia.

Young drivers

Learner drivers may have to wait up to six months between sitting their theory and practical tests. Evidence from other countries suggests implementing a minimum learning period helps learner drivers to develop their skills, including driving in different conditions and could reduce collisions by up to 32%.

Drink driving limits

The drink-drive limit is expected to be reduced for learner and recently qualified drivers, from 80mg per 100ml of blood to around 20mg. For all other drivers, the level would be lowered to around 50mg. This is the current limit in Scotland. And for some drink-drive offenders “alcolocks” could be installed in their vehicles. This is a device which prevent a vehicle being started or driven unless the driver passes a breath test.

Fines and penalties are also set to be reviewed for drink/drug driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, mobile phone use, driving without insurance or an MOT, or using a number plate that cannot be read by recognition cameras.

Make the roads safer for everyone

Jas Thiara, Head of Criminal Litigation & Motoring Offences, at Alsters Kelley said. “Too many lives are lost needlessly on our roads every year and many more are faced with life changing injuries. That’s why we welcome the new Road Safety Strategy. It’s crucial that regardless of whether you are a new, experienced or older driver that you understand and implement any new driving rules, in order to play your part in making the roads safer for everyone.”

Jas continued. “But it’s not just drivers who need to adhere to any new rules, the proposed strategy also mandates the fitting of 18 new safety technologies for specific vehicle categories. These include advanced distraction warning; blind spot information; drowsiness and attention warning; emergency lane keeping; intelligent speed assistance; reversing motion awareness; and tyre pressure monitoring. And for many drivers and road users including motorcyclists, an improvement in road surface quality, i.e. less potholes would be further advantageous.”

For support and advice

If you or anyone you know is facing any motoring related offences then please get in touch to arrange an appointment where we can help and support you. For timely and quality advice, please contact Jas Thiara, Head of Criminal Litigation & Motoring Offences at Alsters Kelley Solicitors Ltd on 02477 710200 or email jas.thiara@alsterskelley.com