The UK Government has unveiled a landmark road safety strategy aimed at significantly improving safety on the roads of England and Wales, describing the plan as a “turning point” in tackling drink-driving and other risks.
Central to the strategy is a reduction in the legal drink-drive limit from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms, aligning England and Wales with Scotland’s existing threshold established in 2014. Currently, the UK’s limit remains among the highest across Europe.
The new framework also proposes compulsory eye tests for drivers aged 70 and older, addressing concerns over vision-related road safety risks. Additionally, first-time drivers may face a minimum learning period before gaining full driving privileges.
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Further safety enhancements include mandating alcolocks—breathalyser devices that prevent cars from starting if alcohol is detected—for certain convicted drink-driving offenders. Authorities may also gain greater powers to suspend the licences of individuals suspected of drink or drug-driving offenses.
This strategy, the first comprehensive update in over ten years, sets out ambitious targets to reduce road deaths and serious injuries across Britain by 65% by 2035, with an even more significant target of 70% reduction for children under 16.
Although the overall number of road fatalities has steadily declined since the 1970s, progress has slowed in recent years. Road deaths fell from 7,763 in 1972 to 1,850 in 2010, further reducing to 1,602 in 2024. The Department for Transport (DfT) highlights that 22 European countries have made more substantial strides in cutting road fatalities compared to the UK.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasized the urgent need for renewed action: “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.”
Charity leaders have voiced support while calling for strong enforcement. Karen Tyrell, CEO of Drinkaware, noted that the proportion of fatal collisions involving drink-driving has nearly doubled since 2015, underscoring the importance of strict application of the new laws.
The introduction of alcolocks is expected to serve as a critical deterrent, requiring offenders to pass breathalyser tests before operating their vehicles. Presently, drivers have no mandatory vision assessments after passing their initial licensing tests, but new measures aim to change this for seniors to maintain road safety.
Industry experts have praised the strategy. Edmund King of the AA called it a “radical reframing of road safety,” while RAC spokesman Rod Dennis welcomed the return of casualty reduction targets and the potential installation of alcolocks. Nicholas Lyes from IAM RoadSmart described the measures as “robust policies to make our roads safer,” addressing a “lost decade” in road safety improvements.
It should be noted that any changes to drink-drive limits in Northern Ireland remain under the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Assembly.