Major Road Safety Reforms Proposed by Government

According to reports from The Times, the proposed reforms aim to address long-standing concerns about driver health, impaired driving, and enforcement challenges.

Key proposals under consideration include:

• Mandatory Eye Tests for Older Drivers: Drivers aged over 70 may be required to undergo eye tests every three years when renewing their licences. Additional assessments for conditions such as dementia are also being explored.
• Lower Drink-Drive Limit: The legal alcohol limit in England and Wales could be reduced from 35 to 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, aligning with the stricter standard already in place in Scotland.
• Streamlined Drug-Driving Enforcement: Police may be granted the ability to use roadside saliva tests as admissible evidence, replacing the current reliance on blood tests.
• Stronger Penalties and Enforcement Tools: The reforms may include increased penalties for uninsured drivers and new measures to combat the use of ‘ghost plates’—number plates that evade automatic recognition systems.

The draft legislation is expected to be published this autumn and will be subject to public consultation.

These changes come amid growing concern that progress on road safety has stagnated. In 2024, 1,633 people lost their lives in road traffic incidents across Great Britain, with approximately 28,000 seriously injured—equating to one casualty every 18 minutes.

While serious road casualties fell dramatically between 2000 and 2010, recent figures show a concerning rise of over 15% since then.

Industry Response

Simon Williams, Head of Policy at the RAC, welcomed the initiative, stating:

“We look forward to seeing the detail of the Government’s forthcoming road safety strategy as too many lives are being lost on our roads every year. More clearly needs to be done to change that.”

He also highlighted the importance of tackling repeat drink-driving offences, suggesting that alcolocks—devices that prevent a vehicle from starting if the driver is over the limit—could be a valuable tool. Williams added that faster enforcement against drug-driving would also be a positive step.