Drink-drive limit to be lowered and new restriction on learners: Road safety plans revealed

Bereaved families and the AA say the government’s long-awaited strategy to cut roads deaths does not go far enough, with “missed opportunities” to save young drivers.

The Road Safety Strategy published today includes plans for mandatory eye-tests for the over 70s, lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales, and to consult on a minimum learning period for new motorists of up to six months before taking a driving test.

The government says this will give learner drivers more time to develop their skills, with statistics showing nearly a quarter of deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads involve drivers aged 17-24, despite only making up around 6% of licence holders.

But campaigners say the measure falls short of what could have been achieved.

Nicole and Chris Taylor’s daughter Rebecca was just 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, there’s a lot more that should have been done and can be done,” Nicole said.

Chris said he was disappointed by the strategy.

“Having a longer learning period would be a good idea,” he added. “But the reality of this is that we have to let young drivers on their own at some point, therefore we need to protect them when that happens.”

The couple – along with hundreds of other families – have spent years campaigning for so-called Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) to be introduced.

‘Missed opportunity’

In countries such as Australia and Canada, GDLs see restrictions placed on newly-qualified drivers in their first few months of being behind the wheel, such as a limit on passenger numbers and a ban on driving late at night – factors that often feature in serious collisions.

The measures have been proven to reduce serious injuries and deaths.

Edmund King, president of The AA, told Sky News the new strategy was “welcome” and “ambitious”, but fell short on protecting young motorists.

He said: “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 from a car for six months.

“We think that would have been a small price to pay and would save over 50 lives a year, so I think it is a missed opportunity.”

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New strategy ‘a turning point’, says minister

The government hopes the measures in the strategy – the first major reform to road safety in nearly two decades – will reduce deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035.

Transport Secretary 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.”

The government says the current drink drive limit is the highest in Europe and has not been changed since 1967 – with drink-driving accounting for one in six road fatalities in 2023.

It says it’ll explore preventative technology, such as alcohol interlock devices, which can include breathalysers attached to a vehicle’s ignition.

A new Road Safety Board, chaired by the minister for local transport, will be created to oversee delivery of the strategy.