All the changes considered in road safety overhaul

WorldPolitics
11 Aug 2025 • 4:27 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • The UK government is planning a significant overhaul of road safety laws, with proposals expected to be published in the autumn as part of a new strategy.
  • Key measures under consideration include reducing the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath from 35, aligning it with Scotland and most of Europe.
  • Ministers are also reportedly considering mandatory eye tests every three years for drivers aged over 70, with a driving ban for those who fail.
  • Further proposals include tougher penalties for uninsured drivers and those failing to wear a seatbelt, and allowing police to use roadside saliva tests for drug-driving prosecutions.
  • These reforms aim to address the persistently high number of road deaths and serious injuries in Britain, which saw 1,633 fatalities last year and cost the NHS over £2bn annually.

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