Drivers aged 70 and over could be banned from the roads if they fail compulsory eye tests under a radical shake-up of driving laws in England and Wales. Plans also include reducing the drink-driving limit in both countries to be in line with Scotland’s laws, and introducing penalty points for passengers not wearing a seatbelt, says the BBC.
The move comes after an inquest into four deaths caused by drivers with failing eyesight saw a coroner call the UK’s licensing system the “laxest in Europe”.
The changes are expected to be included in a new road safety strategy set to be published by the government in the autumn, with ministers believing that the current safety messaging is not working.
“In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying [on the roads each year], with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2bn per year,” a government source told the BBC.
“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 source added.
In April, HM Senior Coroner for Lancashire Dr James Adeley sent a report to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to say action should be taken to prevent future deaths, after he found enforcement of visual legal standards for drivers was unsafe. Following the inquest, a source close to the transport secretary told the BBC the government accepted that the rules “need to be reassessed”.
The UK is one of only three European countries to rely on self-reporting of visual conditions affecting the ability to drive. Now, a new requirement being prepared by the transport secretary could make eye tests for the over-70s compulsorywhen they renew their driving licence every three years.
Edmund King, president of the AA, defended drivers over the age of 70, saying they “are still relatively safe” – although acknowledged bringing in a compulsory eye test was “a small price to pay” for safety.
“When you look at road deaths the big peaks are with young, new drivers and then older drivers – although older drivers it does tend to be those over 80 and 85,” he said on the Radio 4 Today programme.
Quoting statistics from road safety charity Brake, external, King added that “one in five young drivers crash in their first year” and over “1,500 young drivers are killed or are seriously injured each year”.
There are also plans to tighten the drink-drive limit from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath to 22 micrograms. This would match limits already set for Scotland, which were lowered in December 2014 following an independent review of Drink and Drug Driving Law.
Despite the lower limit, the Institute of Alcohol Studies found it “had no impact on any type of road accident, from fatal crashes to collisions”. It did, however, find the reform led to a greater anti-drink driving sentiment among the public.
According to government figures from late last year, there had been “a catastrophic rise” in deaths caused solely by alcohol in England over the past four years.
Other proposals include police being allowed to rely on roadside saliva tests for evidence of drug-driving rather than blood tests, making it easier to prosecute suspects.
Justice minister, Alex Davies-Jones, said that this was the biggest shake up to the UK’s driving laws “for decades”, but stressed that the proposed changes remain part of a consultation process.
She also reiterated that the government is not currently looking at the introduction of graduated licenses for young drivers – something many bereaved parents have called for – saying that it could potentially “over-target younger drivers and unfairly discriminate against them”.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams commented:
“We look forward to seeing the detail of the Government’s forthcoming road safety strategy as too many lives are being lost on our roads every year. More clearly needs to be done to change that.
“Government data for Scotland suggests merely reducing the legal drink-drive limit isn’t enough. A significant number of drink-drive offences are committed by reoffenders, so tackling the risk associated with habitual drink-drivers is crucial. Motorists we’ve surveyed are supportive of repeat offenders having alcolocks fitted to their vehicles to stop them driving over the limit. Greater scope for the police to deal with drug-drivers more quickly would also be very welcome.”
(Pic: Yay Images)
