British roads could soon see sweeping changes as the government prepares to unveil a major overhaul of road safety laws, with a focus on mandatory eye tests for older drivers and a significant tightening of drink-driving regulations. The proposed reforms, expected to be published as part of a new road safety strategy this autumn, are aimed squarely at reducing the stubbornly high number of deaths and serious injuries occurring on the UK’s roads each year.
According to The Times and The Guardian, ministers are considering a raft of measures that would affect millions of drivers. Among the most headline-grabbing is the plan for mandatory eyesight tests every three years for drivers aged over 70. Those who fail these tests could face driving bans, a move that would bring the UK more in line with practices elsewhere in Europe, where regular checks are already the norm.
Currently, the UK is one of only three European countries that rely on drivers to self-report eyesight problems that could affect their ability to drive. Critics have long argued that this self-policing approach leaves too much room for error, with dangerous consequences. The proposed change would see drivers over 70 required to prove their vision meets legal standards every three years—a step that, if implemented, could affect the lives and independence of hundreds of thousands of older Britons.
But why now? The numbers tell a sobering story. Last year, 1,633 people were killed and nearly 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents across the UK. While road deaths had fallen sharply between 2000 and 2010, progress has since stalled. As a Labour source told The Guardian, “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 £2bn a year.”
One area of particular concern is drink-driving. The number of people killed in drink-driving incidents has climbed over the past decade, reaching a 13-year high in 2022. This alarming trend has prompted calls for tougher action, and the government appears ready to respond. Under the new proposals, the drink-drive limit in England and Wales could be cut from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms. This would bring the limit into line with Scotland, which made the change in 2014, and with the rest of Europe, where England and Wales currently have the highest legal threshold.
The rationale is simple: even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgment and reaction times, and lowering the legal limit could help prevent hundreds of avoidable tragedies. As The Times reported, “The reforms include a potential reduction of the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath.”
But it’s not just alcohol that’s under scrutiny. The government is also looking at how drug-driving offenses are prosecuted. At present, police must rely on blood tests to confirm the presence of drugs, a process that can be slow and cumbersome. The new strategy may allow officers to bring prosecutions based on roadside saliva tests, making it easier to catch and convict those driving under the influence of drugs—an offense that has become increasingly common in recent years.
Other proposed measures include tougher penalties for uninsured drivers and for those who fail to wear seatbelts. These infractions might seem minor compared to drink- or drug-driving, but they contribute significantly to the toll of deaths and injuries on the roads. The government’s planned crackdown signals a renewed determination to address all aspects of road safety, not just the most headline-grabbing offenses.
The Labour Party, now in government, has made road safety a key priority. As one party source told The Guardian, “This Labour government will deliver the first road safety strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads.” The strategy, expected to be published in the autumn, will be open to consultation before any measures are enacted, giving the public and stakeholders a chance to weigh in.
Of course, any major change to road safety laws is bound to provoke debate. Some advocates for older drivers have expressed concern that mandatory eyesight tests could unfairly target seniors, many of whom rely on their cars to maintain their independence. Others argue that the safety benefits far outweigh the inconvenience, pointing to research showing that age-related vision issues can dramatically increase the risk of accidents.
Meanwhile, the proposed reduction in the drink-drive limit has been welcomed by road safety campaigners, who say it’s long overdue. They point out that when Scotland lowered its limit, there was a marked decrease in drink-driving offenses, though critics note that the change did not immediately translate into fewer road deaths. Still, with England and Wales now out of step with the rest of Europe, momentum is building for reform.
Enforcement will also be key. The government’s willingness to let police use roadside saliva tests for drug-driving could make a real difference, but only if officers have the resources and training to deploy them effectively. Similarly, tougher penalties for uninsured drivers and seatbelt offenders will only have an impact if they are backed by robust enforcement on the ground.
The stakes are high. Road traffic accidents are not just a personal tragedy for those involved—they are a major public health issue, costing the NHS billions and putting immense strain on emergency services. According to government figures, the annual cost to the health service of treating those killed or seriously injured on the roads exceeds £2 billion.
While the UK has made significant progress in road safety over the past two decades, campaigners and ministers alike agree that more needs to be done. The forthcoming road safety strategy represents the most ambitious attempt in years to tackle the problem head-on. As the consultation process unfolds this autumn, drivers, families, and advocacy groups will be watching closely to see which proposals make it into law—and whether they can deliver the safer roads the country so urgently needs.
For now, the message from government is clear: reducing deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads is not just a policy priority, but a moral imperative. The coming months will reveal whether these bold plans can turn the tide on a problem that has claimed too many lives for too long.