New Strategic Framework for Road Safety set out

Careless driving could become a fixed penalty offence

New plans have been set out to improve road enforcement and cut road deaths.

The new Strategic Framework for Road Safety includes the Government's plans to make careless driving a fixed penalty offence and have disqualified drivers face having to take a new test before regaining their licence.

Other plans include to make greater use of powers to seize vehicles to keep the most dangerous drivers off the roads, increase the level of fixed penalty notices for traffic offences from £60 to between £80 and £100 and penalty points and continue to improve the driving and motorcycling training processes, including introducing film clips into theory test.

Also, improve enforcement against drink and drug driving, create a new website to allow local people to easily compare the road safety performance of their local area against similar areas, increase the use of police-approved educational courses that can be offered in place of fixed penalty notices to encourage safer driving behaviour.

Also, launch an annual road safety day and launch a new post-test qualification for new drivers, including an assessment process to give insurers confidence that it will create safer drivers who can expect to pay lower insurance costs. This will replace the current Pass Plus scheme.

New analysis shows that 3,500 deaths and serious injuries could have been prevented in a year if the successes of better local authorities and police forces had been matched across the country.

Local people will be given the information they need to have a real say in road safety priorities on their local roads.

The framework also sets out the roles and responsibilities of local authorities, road safety professionals and other stakeholders in improving road safety and the increased freedom that is being given to local authorities in assessing and acting on their own priorities.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "We are determined to differentiate between wilfully reckless drivers and the law abiding majority who sometimes make honest mistakes, or who have allowed their skills to deteriorate."

Further information:
Transport for London