Updating Road Safety Rules Introduces New Requirements

• Lowering the alcohol limit and new eyesight checks for drivers over 70 years old.
• Discussion of severe penalties for violators of road traffic rules.
• The road safety strategy will be implemented next spring.

In Great Britain, there are plans to update legislation regarding road safety, which may include lowering the alcohol limit for drivers and mandatory eyesight checks for drivers over 70 years old.

Ministers are also considering the possibility of introducing severe penalties for drivers without insurance and those who do not pass the road safety check. These proposals, which will be implemented next spring, arise against the backdrop of increasing numbers of deaths and serious injuries on British roads.

In 2022, 1,633 people died, and nearly 28,000 sustained serious injuries as a result of road incidents. These figures remain relatively stable compared to the significant decrease between 2000 and 2010.

According to data from the Liberal Democrats, the number of deaths and injuries on the roads reached a record low, but over the past few years, this figure remains high.

The number of deaths in the DTp due to alcohol consumption has increased over the past decade, reaching a 13-year maximum in 2022, which raises concerns that existing road safety measures are no longer effective.

It is planned to lower the alcohol limit from 35 micrograms per 100 ml to 22 micrograms, which corresponds to the standards of Scotland and other European countries. In addition, ministers are considering mandatory eyesight checks every three years for drivers over 70 years old, as well as a ban on driving for those who do not pass the check.

Among other proposals is the possibility of conducting drug tests on-site rather than in the laboratory, as the number of drivers who use drugs increases.

The government hopes that the new road safety strategy, which will be implemented next spring, will help reduce the number of violations of legislation, protect road users, and restore order on the roads.

Tags: Europe/Automotive