New Road Safety Strategy, what driving instructors need to know

The Department for Transport has published its first Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade, setting out a long-term plan to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035, with a 70% reduction target for children under 16.

The strategy, launched on Wednesday 7 January, marks a clear shift back towards national casualty-reduction targets and adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach. This recognises that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries are not, and that responsibility for safety must be shared across road design, vehicles, enforcement, education and behaviour.

For driving instructors, the proposals are particularly significant. Several of the headline measures focus directly on learning to drive, post-test behaviour and lifelong driver competence.

DIA CEO Carly Brookfield Commented: “Pleased to see the Road Safety Strategy being published today, and the launch of a consultation on the introduction of a Minimum Learning Period (MLP) for Learners. Equally pleased to see that in the details of the MLP Consultation Government highlights two initiatives that DIA actually concepted and designed trials for, one being a digital Learner Logbook (which we designed and piloted part of the Driver2020 trial) and another being a modular programme of learning to drive – which we are currently piloting with the Milestones project.

“DIA has long been an advocate of focusing on making the pre-test learning period more robust, versus solely focusing on the (arguably) ‘stable door horse has bolted’ approach of restricted licences. Those driver educators and road safety campaigners who work at the coalface of young driver education have long held that the bigger fix to make is in the area of how we develop drivers before we give them a licence.”

What has been announced so far

Minimum learning period for learner drivers

The Government will consult on introducing a minimum learning period of three or six months before a learner can take their practical test.

The DfT cites collision data showing that drivers aged 17–24 make up just 6 per cent of licence holders but are involved in 24 per cent of fatal and serious collisions. The intention is to give learners more time to develop experience in a wider range of conditions, including night driving, adverse weather and heavier traffic.

How this would be monitored or evidenced has not yet been confirmed, but it is likely to place a greater emphasis on structured learning records and instructor input.

Lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales

A consultation will also consider lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales, which has remained unchanged since 1967.

While no figure has been confirmed by the DfT, The AA has briefed that the proposal under discussion would align England and Wales with Scotland’s limit of 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath. In 2023, one in six road fatalities involved drink driving.

The consultation will also explore preventative technology, including alcohol interlock devices, and new powers to suspend licences for those suspected of drink or drug driving while awaiting court proceedings.

Mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70

With the number of older drivers continuing to rise, the Government will consult on mandatory eyesight testing for drivers aged 70 and over, alongside options for cognitive assessment.

Currently, the UK relies largely on self-reporting of visual conditions. DfT figures show 5.8 million drivers aged 70 or over were licensed in 2022. In 2023, 252 people were injured in collisions where poor eyesight was recorded as a contributory factor, the highest figure since 2017.

Any changes would be linked to the existing three-year licence renewal cycle, but detailed arrangements have yet to be set out.

Illegal number plates and uninsured vehicles

The strategy confirms new measures to tackle illegal number plates, including so-called ‘ghost plates’ designed to defeat ANPR systems, as well as stronger action against uninsured drivers and vehicles without a valid MOT.

An All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety report has previously suggested that as many as one in 15 vehicles may be using non-compliant plates. The DfT has also warned that uninsured driving continues to place both safety and financial pressure on the wider motoring public.

Driving for work and lifelong learning

The strategy also proposes a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter, recognising that around one in three road traffic fatalities involve someone driving or riding for work. This would establish a national standard for employers whose staff drive cars, vans, HGVs or motorcycles as part of their role.

The wider theme running through the strategy is that road safety is a lifelong responsibility, not something confined to the learning-to-drive phase. This has clear implications for post-test development, employer-led training and continuing professional development across the sector.

Additional measures being discussed

Much of the detailed breakdown reported in the Daily Mail was based on briefings given to its motoring desk by Jack Cousens, Head of Roads Policy at The AA. These elements have not yet been formally published by the DfT, but indicate the likely direction of travel.

These include:

• Possible penalty points for drivers if passengers fail to wear seat belts, reflecting data showing that 43 per cent of young passengers (17–29) killed in car crashes were unbelted.
• Tougher penalties for driving without insurance, with fines potentially rising to £600.
• Expanded action on drug driving, including faster evidential testing using saliva samples rather than blood.
• Further alignment with EU General Safety Regulation 2, mandating advanced driver-assistance systems in new vehicles.
• Consultation on motorcycle safety, rural road design and reforms to training and testing.

Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander said the strategy marked “a turning point” after a decade of stalled progress. “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.” 

While Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood emphasised shared responsibility across manufacturers, planners, drivers and legislators. “Our vision with this ambitious Road Safety Strategy is clear: to ensure that people can travel safely on our roads however they choose.

“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.”