The government has published its first comprehensive Road Safety Strategy in more than a decade.

It sets ambitious targets to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads by 65% over the next decade, rising to 70% for children under 16.

Over the last ten years, whilst the UK government steered away from road safety targets, 22 European nations have outpaced the UK in cutting road deaths, pushing Britain down from third to fourth place in continental safety rankings.

Also included in the strategy are consultations to lower the drink-drive limit in England and Wales, to introduce mandatory eye testing for the over-70s, and a crackdown on Illegal number plates.

Key focus

At the heart of the strategy are significant reforms affecting learner and newly qualified drivers, a group widely recognised as being at higher risk on the roads.

According to official figures, a fifth of all deaths or serious injuries in crashes in 2024 involved a young car driver.

Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood restated that while young people make up just 6% of all drivers, they are involved in nearly a quarter of fatal and serious collisions.

“Inexperience puts drivers, their passengers, and other road users at greater risk”.

Greenwood added: “Experts and campaigners have long called for a comprehensive strategy that treats road safety as a shared responsibility – from car manufacturers and town planners to drivers and legislators. 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.”

Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, said: “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.

Minimum learning period 

Perhaps the most eye-catching change for learners is a proposed mandatory minimum period between sitting the theory test and taking the practical driving test.

The Department for Transport will consult on whether this period should be three or six months.

According to the paper, the government believes this will give learners more time to gain experience in a wider range of driving conditions, including at night and in poor weather.

Crucially, any learning time, both formal lessons with a qualified instructor and informal practise with parents or guardians, would count toward the minimum period.

The measure is designed to encourage broader, real-world practice, rather than a rush to pass.

Evidence from other countries suggests that minimum learning periods can reduce collisions by up to 32%.

Currently, learner drivers can book a practical test as soon as they pass the theory exam, and some teenagers have gone from their 17th birthday to full licence holder within days.

Under the proposals, the youngest drivers would be at least 17½ before qualifying.

In practice, however, this change would make little difference immediately.

With record waiting times for practical driving tests, a six-month wait is typical and expected to continue until at least late 2027.

In 2024–25, about 55% of all driving tests were taken by people aged 17–24.

Stricter limits 

The strategy also proposes a lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales, bringing it closer to the stricter regime already in place in Scotland – 80mg alcohol per 100 ml blood to 50 mg per 100ml blood.

For novice drivers, the government is consulting on significantly lowering it to around 20mg/100ml, effectively a zero-tolerance approach.

This is due to their higher crash risks, bringing them in line with countries like Ireland and those with a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) for new drivers.

Motoring organisations stress that the precise number of drinks is hard to translate into these limits, as metabolism and drink strength vary widely.

The AA said the safest message is not to drink at all before driving.

However, parts of the pub sector warned the change could further harm already struggling community venues, particularly in rural areas with limited public transport.

Studies show the Scottish reduction in blood alcohol limits hasn’t significantly reduced overall road crashes.

Still, it has decreased drink-drive offences and increased anti-drink-driving sentiment, with some Scots adopting safer behaviours, such as using taxis.

Researchers suggest the law alone isn’t enough, requiring more vigorous enforcement and better public transport to truly reduce alcohol-related crashes, as the original limit was already low for some heavy drinkers. 

Personal concerns

For many campaigners, the new measures do not go far enough.

There have been long-running calls for Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs), which place additional restrictions on new drivers, such as bans on late-night driving or carrying same-age passengers.

Among the voices pushing for change is Sharron Huddleston, whose daughter Caitlin was killed at 18 in a crash while travelling in a car driven by a newly qualified friend.

Sharron supports the minimum learning period but believes post-test restrictions are essential, arguing that banning young drivers from carrying same-age passengers would save lives.

Novice driver Alisa Fielder, 22, from Surrey, who crashed while overtaking a lorry, said she now believes she “should have had more lessons”.

She later undertook a voluntary assessment with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart to rebuild her confidence and improve her skills, stressing that learning “should continue after you pass”.

The AA welcomed the new measures but called the failure to introduce a full graduated licensing system a “missed opportunity”, arguing international evidence shows limits on same-age passengers significantly cut risk.

King told the BBC that “all the evidence, from Australia, from Canada, from other countries” shows that limiting the number of same-age passengers in a car for six months “will save lives”.

He said of the learning period: “That will help, but the question is: does it go far enough?”

Pillars of the strategy

While young drivers are a focal point, the strategy is broad in scope. It also includes:

  • proposals to lower the drink-drive limit for all motorists

  • new police powers to suspend licences at the roadside for suspected drink or drug-driving

  • wider deployment of technology, such as in-car alcohol interlocks, preventing vehicles from starting if the driver is over the limit

  • measures to tackle speeding, mobile phone use and failure to wear seatbelts

  • work to address headlight glare, following rising public concern

  • consultations on mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers

  • requirements for advanced vehicle safety technology, such as autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance.

The government will now enter a period of consultation.

Ministers argue the plan balances independence and mobility for young people with the urgent need to cut preventable deaths and injuries.

Professional reactions

Road safety experts and organisations have broadly welcomed the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy, while warning that its success will depend on implementation and resourcing.

Spokesperson for the RAC Ron Dennis said the ‘strategy’ couldn’t come soon enough.

“We’ve long said the dial needs to be turned up when it comes to reducing road casualties, so we warmly welcome this strategy,” adding that it “addresses many areas we know drivers are concerned about, including drink and drug-driving, ‘ghost’ plates and dazzling headlights”. 

“Undoubtedly, this strategy is a real chance to give the whole topic of road safety the focus and public attention it deserves. What we need now is for it to quickly evolve into a set of concrete actions that make the roads safer for everyone.”

IAM RoadSmart described the strategy as a long-awaited step forward after stalled progress on casualty reduction, praising its ambitious targets and focus on high-risk groups such as young drivers and motorcyclists.

Road Safety GB similarly welcomed the publication and said collaboration between national and local government and the wider road safety community would be essential to deliver change.

The Road Safety Trust applauded the return of national casualty-reduction targets and the adoption of the Safe System approach, arguing that it demonstrates renewed leadership and long-term direction.

While applauding the “radical” ambition of the proposals, the AA  criticised the absence of graduated driving licences, describing it as “a missed opportunity”.

Campaigners affected by road deaths expressed guarded optimism, supporting tougher limits and technology but continuing to call for stronger post-test protections for new drivers.

Read the full government Road Safety Strategy proposals here.