The UK Government is facing scrutiny over a suite of proposed legal changes designed to enhance safety on the nation's roads. Transport ministers were questioned in the House of Commons this week, on January 8, about the details of a new Road Safety Strategy that could significantly alter driving rules.
Key Proposals for Safer Roads
The strategy includes several major initiatives. One key measure is the introduction of a mandatory eyesight test for drivers aged 70 and above at the point of licence renewal. Furthermore, the Government plans to enforce a minimum learning period of three to six months between a learner passing their theory test and taking their practical driving exam.
In a separate move, the Labour party is pushing for a substantial reduction in the alcohol limit for learner and newly qualified drivers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Their proposal would see the limit plummet from the current 80mg per 100ml of blood to approximately 20mg. For all other drivers, the limit would be lowered to around 50mg, bringing it in line with the law already in force in Scotland.
MP Highlights "Forgotten" Road Hazard
However, Romford MP Andrew Rosindell raised a critical issue he believes the proposals overlook. While welcoming efforts to improve safety, the Conservative MP argued that the strategy fails to address the major hazard of collisions with animals, which can lead to human fatalities.
"In my constituency, Havering-atte-Bower is a rural Essex village with a lot of horse riders," Rosindell explained. "I am told that up to 700 horses have been killed on the roads in recent years, and up to 50 riders." He also cited the danger from roaming deer in areas like Harold Hill and Noak Hill, noting that an estimated 75,000 deer are killed on UK roads annually, alongside countless hedgehogs and other wildlife.
He called for an expansion of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which currently only requires drivers to report collisions with specific animals like dogs, horses, and farm animals to the police. There is no legal obligation to report hitting a cat or a wild animal. "Will the minister consider amending the Act to include cats and other wild animals?" Rosindell asked.
Government Response and Next Steps
In response, Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood acknowledged the dangers posed by animal collisions, particularly on rural roads. She pointed to recent strengthening of the Highway Code to improve safety for horse riders, ensuring drivers pass them slowly and with ample space.
Regarding the specific issue of cats, Greenwood stated: "I have listened carefully to many people who have raised with me their concerns about cats, and work is under way in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to look at further research on that issue." This follows a recent public petition demanding a legal change to require motorists to report incidents where they have hit a cat.
The government's comprehensive road safety plans, combined with this cross-party push to better protect both people and animals, signal a potential period of significant change for all UK road users.
