New UK Road Safety Overhaul Targets Drivers Over 70 and Drink Drive Limits

Ministers are preparing to implement the most significant shakeup to UK driving laws in nearly two decades as part of a new road safety strategy aimed at reducing casualties on British roads. Central to these reforms is a proposal to ban drivers over the age of 70 from the roads if they fail newly introduced compulsory eye tests. The reforms come amidst growing concern about rising deaths and serious injuries, which have climbed in recent years following a long period of decline.

Official statistics reveal that in the past year 1633 people lost their lives in road traffic accidents, with nearly 28000 reported as seriously injured. This marks a worrying reversal of progress made between 2000 and 2010 when serious road casualties nearly halved. Now ministers argue existing safety messages around seatbelt use and drink driving are losing impact amid increases in drug driving incidents and the number of older drivers remaining on the road despite deteriorating eyesight or health.

One of the flagship measures under consideration is a mandatory eye test for drivers over 70, to be repeated every three years during licence renewal. The initiative follows a recent coroner’s report highlighting the UK’s “laxest” rules in Europe regarding driver eyesight. At present, Britain is one of only three European countries that depend on drivers self reporting visual impairments. An alarming 47 per cent rise in over 60s involved in fatal or severe accidents since 2010 has prompted the new approach.

The government is also intent on tightening drink drive regulations by cutting the legal alcohol limit in England and Wales from 35 to 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, bringing standards into line with Scotland. Penalties for uninsured drivers and for passengers who do not wear seatbelts are also set to be increased. Recent trends show the percentage of road fatalities involving people without seatbelts rose from 21 per cent in 2014 to 25 per cent in 2023, with an even higher rate for back seat passengers.

Additional reforms look to address the spike in drug driving, with evidence collection shifting towards more widely used roadside saliva testing. Government data revealed a 78 per cent increase in driver fatalities linked to drug use over the past decade. Plans may also include enhanced criminal penalties for those driving without insurance and measures to eliminate so called ghost number plates that evade detection by cameras.

Industry experts have welcomed the overdue reforms. The AA’s president estimates that if these changes replicate the safety gains seen in Australia and Canada, the UK could prevent at least 58 deaths and over 900 serious injuries annually. Road safety leaders stress, however, that legislative changes must be supported by an increase in police numbers to enforce compliance and deter dangerous driving behaviour across Britain.