A road safety strategy fit for the future

• We are at a pivotal moment with an opportunity to address persistent road safety challenges and save lives.

• GEM proposes six evidence-based, achievable reforms to re-energise progress towards Vision Zero.

• These measures could transform road safety culture as well as bring about significant reductions in death and serious injury on our roads.

As we await the publication of the UK Government’s new Road Safety Strategy, we are feeling a mixture of anticipation and optimism.

For too long, road safety policy has drifted without the momentum needed to tackle some of the most persistent causes of death and serious injury. At GEM Motoring Assist, we believe this is a moment to show real leadership – to make decisions that will save lives, not just sound good in a ministerial briefing note.

We propose six items for the Government’s consideration, all modest in our opinion when you consider the enduring scale of human harm on our roads. Crucially, each is grounded in solid evidence and achievable within the next few years.

Eyesight testing

Vision is the most critical sense for safe driving, yet eyesight standards remain self-declared for licence renewal until age 70. Beyond that, drivers simply tick a box to confirm their sight is adequate. We believe all drivers should pass a professional eyesight test when they reach 70, and then every three years after that.

For all other licence holders, a professional eyesight test every 10 years would mirror how passports are renewed. It’s a simple, fair measure that helps identify problems before they endanger the driver and others. With an ageing driving population, mandatory eyesight testing is common sense.

Graduated licensing for new drivers

Evidence from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and several US states is unequivocal: graduated driver licensing (GDL) reduces collisions and casualties among new drivers by imposing stepped exposure to risk. Britain’s newest drivers, particularly those aged 17 to 24, remain disproportionately represented in fatal and serious crashes.

A UK GDL system could include supervised experience before solo night driving, passenger number restrictions and zero-tolerance limits for alcohol. Researchers* have presented the evidence and shown the benefits, but up to now political will is missing. GEM believes we owe our new drivers the best possible start to their experiences behind the wheel.

Seat belt offences

Evidence† shows that seat belts are one of the simplest lifesavers in road safety history. Yet every year, around a quarter of car occupants killed in crashes were not wearing them. Fines alone are not shifting behaviour among the intransigent group who refuse to buckle up.

Making the non-wearing of seat belts a three-point driving offence with a large fine would change the culture, reinforcing that it’s not optional. Other European nations have adopted similar penalties to great effect‡.

Drink-drive limit and roadside evidential testing

The current drink-drive limit in England, Northern Ireland and Wales is higher than the vast majority of Europe. Only Malta and Liechtenstein have the same threshold, and of the 200 or so countries in the world, just 10 have such a generous permitted level.

We need to follow Scotland’s example from 2014, aligning science and policy with what we already know keeps people safer. Furthermore, allowing roadside evidential breath testing would cut delays, increase enforcement efficiency and bring swift justice. The technology exists and is already used successfully in countries including Ireland and Australia. There is no valid reason for delay.

Drug driving tests

Drug driving enforcement is hampered by the cumbersome requirement to await toxicology reports from blood samples. Weeks can pass before a driver is charged – time that erodes deterrence and public confidence.

Modern testing kits can detect drugs accurately in saliva samples, making these results robust and suitable for evidential use. Allowing this would streamline the justice process and provide a strong deterrent.

Immediate licence withdrawal for failed evidential tests

Any driver who fails a drink or drug test should lose their licence on the spot. This sends a clear message that driving under the influence is incompatible with holding legal responsibility for a vehicle. Administrative suspension pending court proceedings would protect the public immediately, preventing repeat offences during the months before cases come to court.

GEM believes that each of these proposals is practical, evidence-based and affordable. Together, they form a powerful package capable of resetting the UK’s commitment to safer roads. The powerful Vision Zero concept, which originated in Sweden in 1997, was introduced by the Swedish Parliament in 1997 as part of Sweden’s Road Traffic Safety Bill.

Vision Zero is based on the principle that no loss of life on the road is acceptable. Rather than placing blame solely on individual road users, it focuses on designing a transport system that anticipates human error and reduces the likelihood and severity of crashes. Its target of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads is ambitious but achievable with determined, evidence-led policymaking. These reforms would not only save hundreds of lives each year but would also spare families and communities the grief and devastation that road collisions bring.

We eagerly await the publication of what we hope will be a bold road safety strategy. Progress is within reach. The only question now is whether we have the courage to deliver it.

* Research teams from TRL and Swansea University

† PACTS briefing

‡ European Transport Safety Council archive

Keep up to date with GEM Motoring Assist at:

X: @motoringassist

Facebook: @gemmotoringassist

Instagram: @gem_motoringassist

LinkedIn: @gem-motoring-assist-limited