Overview

• Drivers aged 70 and over would face compulsory professional eyesight tests every three years, alongside mandatory optometrist reporting and potential medical screening, with licences suspended or revoked for failures.
• The legal breath-alcohol limit in England and Wales could be cut from 35 µg to 22 µg per 100 ml of breath, aligning with Scotland and most of Europe, pending consultation.
• Drivers could receive penalty points if passengers fail to wear seatbelts, while uninsured motorists may face tougher fines and disqualification processes.
• Police would be allowed to use roadside saliva tests as evidence in drug-driving prosecutions, reducing reliance on blood samples.
• The package remains in the policy-development phase, with an autumn road safety strategy due to go before public consultation and require primary and secondary legislation before implementation.