The Department for Transport has at last unveiled its long-awaited Road Safety Strategy, a comprehensive initiative by the Labour government aimed at drastically reducing road fatalities and injuries through new legislation targeting drivers of all ages.

This groundbreaking strategy, the first of its kind in over ten years, sets an ambitious goal: a 65 percent decrease in fatalities and serious injuries on UK roads by the year 2035. To achieve this, the plan introduces several key measures, including mandatory eye tests for older drivers, a minimum learning period for novice motorists, and a reduction in the legal alcohol limit for drivers in England and Wales.

Heralded as the most sweeping reform to motoring safety laws since the 2006 Road Safety Act under Tony Blair’s administration, these changes are poised to significantly enhance road safety across the nation.

The urgency of these reforms is underscored by the UK’s slip in road safety rankings within Europe, dropping from third to fourth place in 2025. This decline was attributed to other European countries making greater strides in reducing road fatalities.

Department officials are hopeful that these measures will rectify what they describe as a “decade of stalled progress” in reducing the number of road deaths, setting the stage for a safer future on Britain’s roads.

Officials says the strategy will ‘reverse a decade of stalled progress’ at curbing road fatality numbers.

Daily Mail and This is Money takes a closer look at each individual change to motoring laws introduced within the strategy – and how many motorists it will directly impact. 

Secretary of State for Transport, 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 DfT has released the top-line changes it is looking to implement which Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, will chair a new Road Safety Board and oversee delivery of the strategy.

Greenwood will be supported by an Expert Advisory Panel drawing membership from local authorities, emergency services, active travel groups, and road safety organisations.

Ms Greenwood commented: ‘Our vision with this ambitious Road Safety Strategy is clear: to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads however they choose.

‘Experts and campaigners have long called for a comprehensive strategy that treats road safety as a shared responsibility – from car manufacturers and town planners to drivers and legislators.

‘This strategy, the first in over a decade, shows a Government that is not just listening, but leading, and together, we can build a safer future for all road users.’

While the DfT has released the top-line changes it is looking to implement, The AA has been briefed on in-depth changes due to come in, and its head of roads policy Jack Cousens has exclusively relayed the specifics to the Daily Mail and This is Money’s motoring department.

So that drivers are fully aware of every possible change that could be introduced, we will initially look at the overarching areas the DfT has announced, but will proceed to dig deeper into the other updates the cognoscenti expect to be introduced. 

These includes mandatory vehicle tech in new cars that could be introduced in-line with EU rules and even extra education for company car users….

New laws as part of the Road Safety Strategy

1. Mandatory eye tests for over 70s

This is one of the biggest changes Labour is looking to introduce, and one that campaign groups have pressed for in recent years.

If implemented after a consultation period, the change would see all motorists aged 70 needing to obtain a current eye examination and include it with their application to renew their licence every three years.

Previously, the UK has been one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions that affect a person’s ability to drive. 

Groups including the Association of Optometrists have long campaigned for these legislative changes which would require all motorists to undergo vision screening upon initial licence application, during renewals, and through triennial assessments for those aged over seventy. 

Options for cognitive testing will also be developed to protect all road users. 

Poor eyesight is seen as one of the gravest dangers to road users: 2023 Department for Transport (DfT) statistics show 252 people were hurt in road collisions where below-par eyesight. This is the highest number since 2017 when 262 were injured.

How many people will this affect? DfT data shows there were 5.8 million drivers aged 70 years or older on UK roads in 2022. 

What do you need to do if this change affects you? How the testing and renewal system will work exactly has yet to be announced but drivers over 70 will have to show they’ve passed the tests required to renew their licence.

2. Stricter drink drive limits

The Government will consult on lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales.

Levels have not been announced but it is expected that the limit will be slashed from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms per 100ml of breath.

This brings England in line with Scotland’s drink-drive limit which was introduced in 2014. England’s level remains unchanged since 1967.

Already, England leads European countries with the stringency of its drink-drive limits: France for instance has a 50 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath threshold. 

A new 22 microgram legal limit would mean that for some people even one pint could risk them being over the limit as each person processes alcohol at varying speeds. 

Estimates for 2022 show that between 290 and 320 people were killed in collisions in where at least one driver was over the drink-drive limit. And in 2023, one in six road fatalities involved drink driving.

Additionally, the consultation will explore the use of preventative technology, such as alcohol interlock devices. New powers could see police suspending driving licences for those suspected of drink or drug driving offences.

How many people will this affect? As of October 2023 there are over 50 million people with a driving licence in Great Britain.

What do you need to do if this change affects you? The change would impact every driver but the most critical thing to remember is that it isn’t possible to work out how many units of will mean you are over the legal limit.

Experts recommend having a breathalyser in your car to be absolutely sure. There are also smartphone apps which help monitor your sobriety and blood alcohol levels in real time. 

What affects each person’s blood alcohol level? Your weight, age, sex and metabolism, the type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking, what you’ve eaten recently and your stress levels at the time. 

3. Minimum period of learning for new drivers 

The Government will look to introduce a three or six-month minimum period of learning for first time drivers.

The DfT says that ‘inexperience behind the wheel is costing lives’ as drivers aged 17-24 represent just six per cent of licence holders but are involved in 24 per cent of fatal and serious collisions 

In a bid to reduce the number of collisions involving young drivers, a consultation will discuss learners now being given more time to develop their skills, with emphasis on them learning how to drive in varied conditions including at night, in adverse weather and heavy traffic.

How many people will this affect? In 2021 it was estimated that around nine million people hold a provisional licence, with this fluctuating each year. Every driver with a provisional licence will now be expected to complete this minimum period of learning.

What do you need to do if this change affects you? If this change goes through drivers will need to show they have completed the set amount of learning. We don’t know how this will be checked but it is possible that driving instructors will show how long students have been learning for.

4. Crackdown on illegal number plates 

The growing number of illegal number plates will be targeted with new measures, with particular focus on eliminating ‘ghost’ plates designed to fool camera systems.

Ghost plates use a reflective coating that prevents them from being read by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. 

The Government has been warned that as many as one in 15 vehicles may carry plates designed to evade detection these cameras.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety (APPGTS) report found that abusing the number plate system can facilitate a range of offences, from dodging road charges and fines to drug dealing and organised crime.

New measures will also target the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ plates designed to fool camera systems, while also cracking down on uninsured drivers and vehicles without a valid MOT. 

How many people will this affect? Only those partaking in illegal plate practices which at the moment is estimates to be 1-in-15 vehicles. 

Other possible safety policies to be brought in

– Penalties for passengers not wearing seat belts

Drivers could be slapped with penalty points if passengers are caught not wearing seat belts.

Compulsory seat belt wearing was introduced on 31 January 1983 for all car drivers and front seat passengers. 

Belting up reduces the risk of death by around 50 per cent, making the introduction of the safety device one of the most important legislative motoring changes in recent decades. 

2025 analysis by the AA Charitable Trust shows almost half (43 per cent) of young passengers (17-29 years) who are killed in car crashes were not wearing a seat belt. 

How many people will this affect? All 50 million people with a British driving licence if this is brought in. 

What do you need to do if this change affects you? Do not let any passenger travel in your car without wearing a seat belt. As the driver you will now get penalised if caught and the responsibility lies with you.

Higher fines for uninsured drivers and cracking down on vehicles without an MOT 

UK drivers have also been warned by the DfT that it will ‘crack down on uninsured drivers and vehicles without a valid MOT’. 

It’s been reported that drivers could face fines of up to £600 if caught without valid car insurance. It is estimated that there are around 300,000 uninsured motorists across the UK.

Uninsured drivers could also face tougher penalties. 

What changes have safety organisations been briefed on but are yet to be expanded upon by the DfT?

The AA tells us that the Government is targeting ‘two major headlines’: The already stated DfT 2025 65 per cent reduction in KSI target and a 70 per cent KSI reduction for those 16 and younger by 2035.

These will be tackled under four ‘pillars’: Technology and Data; Infrastructure; Road Users; and Enforcement.

Underneath this, ‘five consultations’ will take place. These are outlined below:

1. Young driver consultation

Cousens says there will be a ‘syllabus’ for young drivers. This will, as the DfT has said, tackle areas including driving at night, driving on rural roads, in poor weather and in heavy traffic.

The AA has further been told that learners will be required to have completed a minimum number of hours before taking their practical driving exam and complete an overall minimum period of learning in order to submit for testing.

However, despite ongoing campaign for what is ostensibly a Graduated Driving Licence (GDL), the DfT won’t be looking at introducing a rule where newly qualified drivers have to have six months of on-road experience under their belts before being allowed to carry passengers – a move which The AA believes should not be overlooked and will continue to push for.

2. Older driver consultation

As already covered by the DfT, there will be a consultation into mandatory tests for drivers over the age of 70.

As well as eye tests this will include cognitive tests, and The AA has been informed that these will aim to identify those with conditions such as dementia that can compromise the safety of getting behind the wheel.

Motorcycle safety consultation

Motorcyclists are the most vulnerable transport user group with the highest accident and injury rates per mile of all vehicle users. 

Government statistics show that motorcyclists are 50 times more likely to die in an accident than car drivers.

As such the consultation will reportedly look into reforms to motorcycle training and testing and licencing, as well as improving motorcycle safety on rural roads.

4. Vehicle tech consultation

This is the one yet to be announced by the DfT fully, but will have perhaps the most impact on the daily driving of all motorists.

The AA says that the consultation will predominately look at the EU GSR2 (General Safety Regulation 2). 

But what is it?

GSR2 is a European law mandating advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in new vehicles to reduce road deaths. 

Key mandatory safety systems new vehicles have to have include Blind Spot Information, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning and Intelligent Speed Assist.

The latter is the area that could cause the most friction for new car owners as these systems constantly ‘bong’ whenever the driver is just 1mph over the speed limit, and are seen as aggravating and distracting. 

The installation of ‘alcolocks’ (alcohol ignition interlocks breathalyser devices) is another area that will be looked at, but the AA has been informed that, as legislation is tricky, this is likely a device that will only be fitted into the vehicles of drink-drive reoffenders,  

The AA believes GSR2 should be ‘adopted broadly and wholly’.

5. Driving offences consultation

As already stated by the DfT, the drink-drive limit is being looked into.

The AA has had it confirmed that the new possible limit would bring England and Wales equal to Scotland at the 22 microgram threshold. 

However, The AA has been informed that this could go even further and there be a zero-tolerance drink-drive limit for newly qualified drivers.

Both a doubling of the fine for drivers ferrying passengers without seat belts and double points for driving without insurance has been stipulated, as has the crackdown on ghost plates.

A new area not yet expanded by the DfT but briefed to The AA is a crackdown on drug driving.

The DfT is looking at expanding the way in which Evidential Drug Identification Testing is processed. Currently if drivers fail the roadside saliva test the will be taken to a police station to undergo blood testing. 

However, flaws in these blood tests mean that tests may not pick up drugs in the system under certain circumstances and if samples are not processed within six months they can’t be used.

As such, the DfT is looking at expanding the suite at which evidential drug testing can take place so saliva tests can be processed in 48 hours.

Furthermore, in the cases of drink and drug driving, proposals could see people have their licences suspended and taken away while awaiting court if they are seen as a danger to other drivers while awaiting trial.

Motorists are likely to be displeased with proposals for local authorities to have greater powers to reduce speed limits on their roads, and for them to install red light cameras more easily.

Are you a company car user? If so, you could be subject to a new ‘driving charter’…

Another crucial proposal The AA has been briefed is something called ‘Driving for Work Charter’.

This will reportedly be aimed at those driving company vehicles, whether cars or HGVs, will stipulate a national standard that employers ask their employees to carry out to make sure they drive appropriately.

It’s part of a winder mantra that ‘road safety is a life long education’ and could see road safety considered part of national curriculum.

The AA backs the idea of ‘learning for life’ and that road safety should be taught from primary school all the way through to tertiary education.  

What to safety organisations make of the proposals?

Edmund King OBE, director of The AA Charitable Trust and AA president, said the Road Safety Strategy will be a ‘positively radical reframing of road safety’ and commended the government for its ‘wide ranging and ambitious strategy’.

King added: ‘Tackling drivers who drive under the influence of drink or drugs, people who don’t wear their seatbelts and those getting behind the wheel without insurance are key to reducing road deaths and serious injuries. 

‘We also endorse the mantra of road safety being a life-long education, not just when learning to ride or drive.

‘The reintroduction of ambitious targets to reduce death and serious injury on our roads is a radically positive move that will help keep road safety higher up the agenda.’

He added: ‘The AA advises all drivers to have an eye test every two years, and so we welcome mandatory eye tests for older drivers. 

‘The likelihood of crashes increases once someone is over the age of 70 and markedly rises for those above the age of 80 to a peak at age 86, with eyesight often a worrying factor.’

Charity Age UK doesn’t agree, though.

It says that requiring evidence from an eye test, together with raising the age at which this is required to age 75, would be a more ‘balanced, evidence-based approach’.

King also acknowledged the efforts to improve road safety for drivers at the opposite end of the age spectrum, though believes the government’s plans don’t go far enough.

‘Young drivers are also being looked at with the proposed introduction of a minimum learning period. While this is positive, we feel the government has missed the opportunity to introduce peer age passenger restrictions for new drivers,’ he said.

‘We regularly hear about young driver crashes in which multiple young people are either killed or seriously injured and more needs to be done to address this. 

‘We know, from other countries who have introduced such measures, that simply delaying the age at which new, young drivers can carry peer age passengers significantly reduces the number of these crashes and the heartbreak that accompanies them.’

RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: ‘We’ve long said the dial needs to be turned up when it comes to reducing road casualties, so we warmly welcome this strategy – and especially the reintroduction of casualty reduction targets, that were scrapped 16 years ago.

‘The strategy addresses many areas we know drivers are concerned about, including drink and drug-driving, ‘ghost’ plates and dazzling headlights. The inclusion of a commitment to consult on the use of alcohol interlocks for convicted drink-drivers – which are internationally proven to save lives – is particularly encouraging, especially given the extent to which drivers are supportive of their use. It’s also positive to see proposals on the table for both improving young driver safety and tackling the scourge of uninsured drivers who push up motor insurance costs for everyone.

‘What we need now is for it to quickly evolve into a set of concrete actions that make the roads safer for everyone.’

AM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: ‘After what can be described as a lost decade in terms of reducing the number of killed and seriously injured on the roads, we welcome the Government’s commitment to ambitious targets and robust policies to make our roads safer. 

‘The strategy focuses on all key aspects including behaviours, training, vehicle technology and enforcement – all of which play a crucial role in keeping us safe on the road. An emphasis on younger drivers and motorcycle safety is particularly positive, considering these are some of our most vulnerable road users. 

‘We’re also pleased to see action being taken on drug driving, which is a growing menace and by giving police additional powers to take action against those caught at the roadside, it will serve notice that such dangerous behaviours will not be tolerated.’