The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a new road safety action plan as it sets out to reduce the number of fatal incidents that occur on Britain’s roads.
The document details 74 proposed measures for implementation over the next two years, chief among which is a plan to increase penalties for drivers who fail to wear a seatbelt.
Currently, drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt are liable to receive a £100 on-the-spot fine, which could rise to £500 if the case goes to court. The proposed revisions would see rule-breakers hit with penalty points as well, although it is unclear how many.
Reinforcing the importance of wearing a seatbelt is viewed as a priority by the DfT. The organisation notes that 27% of road fatalities in 2017 involved drivers and passengers who weren’t belted up: “one in four car deaths could have been prevented”, it said.
A planned graduated driver licensing scheme, detailed ahead of the document’s publication, could result in novice drivers being restricted to daytime driving, as part of a move to combat high accident rates occurring within a year of passing a test.
Drink- and drug-driving rates could be minimised with the mandatory installation of ‘alcolocks’ to repeat offenders’ vehicles. These devices measure alcohol levels in a driver’s breath and prevent the vehicle from being started.
Also detailed in the plan is a strategy to better educate young people with regard to staying safe on the roads. As well as encouraging larger numbers of pupils to cycle to school, the DfT has invested £200,000 in providing augmented reality training resources to primary schools across the UK, which will help pupils develop an awareness of road safety.
