Labour to develop new road safety strategy to cut deaths
New rules, new guidelines and possible changes to the driving licence system are being discussed as part of a new road safety strategy – the first in a decade.
Last updated 8th Oct 2024
The Transport Secretary has told us a new road safety strategy is being drawn up to try and reduce the number of people being killed on the UK’s roads.
Louise Haigh told our Westminster Political Editor that she's been meeting with experts and campaigners to create the first new road safety plan in a decade.
The MP said things have got to change: "We lose five people on average every single day on our roads, and it's treated with complete complacency, as if it is an inevitable, mistake that can't be avoided - I'm not prepared to accept that anymore and
"I've been meeting campaigners who've tragically lost their own loved ones to talk about what measures we can put in place.
"It will absolutely be evidence based and it will tackle this issue in in every corner of our country, but starting in those areas that are most dangerous and where people may lose their lives."
Calls for graduated driving licences
The beginnings of a new road safety strategy comes as campaigners join forces with the RAC and AA to call for a Graduated Driving Licence to be introduced in the UK.
The graduated licence would mean young people couldn’t carry passengers for the first six months after passing their test.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh told us it's one of the areas they're considering:
"We'll be considering a number of measures and will be announcing a variety of consultations, but crucially, with all issues around road safety, we also have to maintain, access to work and opportunity and protect people's freedoms to drive."