Drink-drive limit to be lowered and new restriction on learners: Road safety plans revealed

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Bereaved families and the AA accidental the government's long-awaited strategy to chopped roads deaths does not spell acold enough, with "missed opportunities" to prevention young drivers.

The Road Safety Strategy published contiguous includes plans for mandatory eye-tests for the implicit 70s, lowering the drink-drive bounds successful England and Wales, and to consult connected a minimum learning play for caller motorists of up to six months earlier taking a driving test.

The government says this volition springiness learner drivers much clip to make their skills, with statistic showing astir a 4th of deaths and superior injuries connected Britain's roads impact drivers aged 17-24, contempt lone making up astir 6% of licence holders.

But campaigners accidental the measurement falls abbreviated of what could person been achieved.

Nicole and Chris Taylor's girl Rebecca was conscionable 18 erstwhile she died successful a car clang successful Northamptonshire successful 2008.

Nicole and Chris Taylor, whose daughter, Rebecca, was killed successful  a car   clang  successful  2008

Image: Nicole and Chris Taylor, whose daughter, Rebecca, was killed successful a car clang successful 2008

"If the authorities thinks this is capable for america - it's not enough, there's a batch much that should person been done and tin beryllium done," Nicole said.

Chris said helium was disappointed by the strategy.

"Having a longer learning play would beryllium a bully idea," helium added. "But the world of this is that we person to fto young drivers connected their ain astatine immoderate point, truthful we request to support them erstwhile that happens."

The mates - on with hundreds of different families - person spent years campaigning for alleged Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) to beryllium introduced.

Pictures of Rebecca Taylor connected  show  successful  her parents' home

Image: Pictures of Rebecca Taylor connected show successful her parents' home

'Missed opportunity'

In countries specified arsenic Australia and Canada, GDLs spot restrictions placed connected newly-qualified drivers successful their archetypal fewer months of being down the wheel, specified arsenic a bounds connected rider numbers and a prohibition connected driving precocious astatine nighttime - factors that often diagnostic successful superior collisions.

The measures person been proven to trim superior injuries and deaths.

Edmund King, president of The AA, told Sky News the caller strategy was "welcome" and "ambitious", but fell abbreviated connected protecting young motorists.

He said: "We've spoken to colleagues successful Canada and Australia astir GDLs and the 1 measurement that they each archer america saves the astir lives is limiting the fig of aforesaid property passengers from a car for six months.

"We deliberation that would person been a tiny terms to wage and would prevention implicit 50 lives a year, truthful I deliberation it is simply a missed opportunity."

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New strategy 'a turning point', says minister

The authorities hopes the measures successful the strategy - the archetypal large betterment to roadworthy information successful astir 2 decades - volition trim deaths and superior injuries by 65% by 2035.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "Every beingness mislaid connected our roads is simply a calamity that devastates families and communities. For excessively long, advancement connected roadworthy information has stalled. This strategy marks a turning point.

"We are taking decisive enactment to marque our roads safer for everyone, from caller drivers taking their archetypal lessons to older motorists wanting to support their independence. The measures we are announcing contiguous volition prevention thousands of lives implicit the coming decade."

The authorities says the existent portion thrust bounds is the highest successful Europe and has not been changed since 1967 - with drink-driving accounting for 1 successful six roadworthy fatalities successful 2023.

It says it'll research preventative technology, specified arsenic intoxicant interlock devices, which tin see breathalysers attached to a vehicle's ignition.

A caller Road Safety Board, chaired by the curate for section transport, volition beryllium created to oversee transportation of the strategy.

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