The drink-drive limit in England and Wales is set to be cut under government plans to address “stalled” progress on road safety.
The road safety strategy – which is the first of its kind in more than a decade – aims to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65 per cent by 2035, and by 70 per cent for children under 16.
The drink-drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, which is the highest in Europe alongside Malta.
Under the strategy, this may be reduced to 22 micrograms in England and Wales, bringing those nations into line with Scotland, which cut its drink-drive limit in 2014.
The power to reduce Northern Ireland’s drink-drive limit is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The strategy also proposes to require some convicted drink-drivers to have alcolocks fitted to their vehicles, and new powers to suspend driving licences for people suspected of drink or drug-driving offences.
Other planned measures to be consulted on include introducing mandatory sight tests once drivers reach 70, a minimum learning period for new drivers, and a crackdown on uninsured drivers and illegal number plates.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said 22 European countries have made “more progress than the UK” in reducing road crash deaths.
The number of people killed on Britain’s roads has generally declined since the 1970s, but the decrease has slowed since 2010.
There were 7,763 road deaths in 1972, 1,850 in 2010 and 1,602 in 2024.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Every life lost on our roads is a tragedy that devastates families and communities.
“For too long, progress on road safety has stalled. This strategy marks a turning point. We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their first lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence.
“The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade.”
The DfT said some drink-drive offenders may be required to have alcolocks installed in their vehicles as a condition of being allowed to drive again.
Alcolocks are devices which prevent a vehicle from being started or driven unless the motorist passes a breath test. They are already used in several countries – such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands and the US – in return for shorter driving bans.
Officials hope introducing sight tests for drivers aged 70 and above will help protect all road users.
Drivers are currently not subjected to mandatory tests once they obtain their licence, no matter how old they become, although they are required to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they are no longer fit to drive.
AA president Edmund King described the strategy as a “radical reframing of road safety”, while RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said it “can’t come soon enough” as he particularly welcomed the long-waited reintroduction of casualty reduction targets and the possible use of alcolocks.
Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at charity IAM RoadSmart, said the measures are “robust policies to make our roads safer” following a “lost decade” in reducing deaths and serious injuries from crashes.
Karen Tyrell, chief executive of charity Drinkaware, said the proportion of drink-driving collisions which cause fatalities has nearly doubled since 2015, so it is “vital that this change is coupled with strong enforcement”.
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