The 5 new driving laws the UK needs instead of | Tech News

Labour is able to declare conflict on pensioners in 2026 with over 70s the victims of a mass overhaul of motoring guidelines. The Government is at the moment consulting on new necessary eyesight checks which is able to see older drivers compelled to move an evaluation at 70 to retain their licence. Officials have additionally not ruled out “cognitive” checks whereas consideration will probably be given to different “fitness to drive measures”. 

It’s an onslaught and the UK’s older drivers are proper in the firing line regardless of information displaying they’re removed from the largest downside on the street. Young male car drivers aged between 17 and 24 are the most harmful, 4 occasions as more likely to be killed than these over 25. While eye exams for over 70s is no unhealthy factor – why simply over 70s? Why not for everybody? 

And relatively than giving the impression that it is solely pensioners who need their car keys taking off them, why not get thinking about a few new guidelines which might really make Britain’s roads far safer. 

1: Increase the minimal driving age 

Passing at 17 might permit youngsters an additional bit of freedom on the roads, however at what value? Despite accounting for simply 1.5% of licence holders, motorists between 17 and 19 are concerned in 9% of all deadly or critical collisions on the street.

Meanwhile, information from security charity Brake reveals that one in 5 motorists crash their automobiles within a 12 months of passing their check. Increasing the minimal age restrict to drive would cut accidents, however how are children speculated to get to full-time employment with entry to a vehicle?

It means 18 12 months olds need a car, however a minimal six-month studying period and restrictions on having any passengers underneath 30 in the car six months after passing a check ought to help.

2: Maximum engine capability 

Even if we’re nonetheless permitting motorists to get behind the wheel at 17, restrictions ought to nonetheless apply round what automobiles children can own.

Would you throw a trainee pilot in an F14 fighter jet? Probably not! So why are youngsters allowed to bomb round UK streets in supercars with out restrictions? Models offering more than 250/300hp needs to be off limits till drivers attain 21 and a minimum of one 12 months after passing a check.

3: Compulsory dashcams 

Motorists will seemingly drive a lot slower if a dashcam is slapped in the entrance of each vehicle in the UK. Not solely will this put off boy racers from urgent their foot down, dashcams might be important in proving culpability when making an attempt to secure car insurance coverage payouts after an incident. 

It can be more likely to finish the rise in crash for money scams, the place fraudsters purposely drive into automobiles to fraudulently make a declare. 

4: Alcohol interlock systems 

Labour appears set to introduce powerful new drink-drive limits, lowering alcohol thresholds from 35µg to 22µg per 100ml of breath, however alcolocks at the moment are the solely approach. Officials are already wanting into alcohol ignition interlock units however this needs to be sped by means of and adopted as quickly as potential. 

The units successfully stop drink drivers from beginning their ignition if a breath pattern reveals they’ve consumed above a specific amount of alcohol. 

Around 300 drivers are killed yearly resulting from alcohol, making it one of the largest killers on the street and one thing that could possibly be simply fixed.

5: Geofenced pace limits 

Many residential areas round the UK at the moment are fitted with 20mph pace knots to gradual vehicles down in built-up areas. However, we’ve all seen drivers push nicely above this and fly by means of aspect streets like they’re at Silverstone. 

In the future, let’s use GPS and navigation information for automobiles to take control out of drivers’ arms and routinely gradual vehicles exterior high-risk areas similar to faculties, purchasing centres and hospitals.