Proposals also include tougher penalties for those caught uninsured and failing to wear a seatbelt as motoring organisations said the plans are “a step in the right direction”
Radical plans to overhaul road safety laws are “much overdue”, motoring groups have said. Ministers are considering slashing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales and having mandatory eye tests for older drivers
The proposals, set to be unveiled in the autumn, also include tougher penalties for those caught uninsured and failing to wear a seatbelt. And motoring organisations said the plans are “a step in the right direction”.
AA president Edmund King said: “The time has come for a bold and proactive approach to road safety. This strategy is much overdue as road deaths have plateaued over the last decade.
“We believe these new measures will not only modernise our approach to saving lives but also provide renewed momentum in making our roads safer for everyone.”On Britain’s roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured.
Meanwhile, the number of people killed in drink-driving prangs has risen over the past decade. Under the plans being considered, the drink-drive limit could be cut from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms in line with Scotland and the rest of Europe.
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart’s director of policy and standards, said: “Given progress on reducing fatal and serious collisions has stalled in recent years, we welcome the UK Government’s ambition to publish an updated road safety strategy with the reported measures being a step in the right direction.
“While many drivers over the age of 70 are safe and competent, health issues and confidence can have an impact on driving abilities, so it is sensible to review whether changes need to be made.
“We would also support reducing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales alongside measures to target drug-driving, however these would require significantly more backing for roads policing teams to effectively enforce new laws.”
A Labour source said: “At the end of the last Labour government, the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads was at a record low, but numbers have remained stubbornly high under successive Conservative governments.
“In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying, with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2 billion per year.”
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