UK Plans Stricter Drink-Driving, Older Driver Rules, Young Driver Risks

The UK government is preparing a major overhaul of road safety laws aimed at reducing fatalities and serious injuries, including compulsory eye tests for drivers over 70 and lowering the drink-driving limit in England and Wales to align with Scotland’s stricter standards. While these measures have been welcomed for targeting older drivers and drink or drug driving, critics emphasize the lack of provisions for young, inexperienced drivers, who are disproportionately involved in crashes, especially when carrying peer passengers. Road safety experts and organizations like the Automobile Association advocate for restrictions on the number of same-age passengers young drivers can carry in the first six months after licensing, estimating this could reduce young driver deaths by 20 to 40 percent. Motoring groups also support tougher penalties for uninsured driving and seatbelt offenses but stress the need for more proactive measures to address risky behaviors among new drivers. Meanwhile, UK motorists traveling abroad face increasing enforcement of stricter drink-driving laws, particularly in countries like Spain and France, where legal limits are lower and penalties more severe than in the UK. Overall, the proposed strategy marks the first comprehensive update in over a decade, aiming to restore order on UK roads and save lives, but stakeholders call for a more inclusive approach that better protects vulnerable young drivers alongside older motorists.