Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has welcomed the launch of a new national Road Safety Strategy setting out unprecedented action to save lives on the UK’s roads – but challenged the Government to do even more.
The blueprint, unveiled today (Wednesday 7 January), is built around an ambition to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035 – and 70% for children under 16 – through a series of new safety measures that have long been championed by the County Durham and Darlington PCC and have helped to shape the new national approach.
The ardent road safety campaigner, who is Joint National Lead for Roads Policing on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), has lobbied tirelessly alongside bereaved families and campaigners to prevent more unnecessary deaths and injuries on the roads, securing wide cross-sector support through her efforts.
Her work has included robust support for the ‘Life is Precious’ campaign raising awareness of the fatal four driving offences (speeding, mobile phone use, no seatbelts and drink or drug driving).
The PCC has previously set out a series of commitments in her Police, Crime and Justice Plan to secure practical and evidence-based changes that will save lives and increase public confidence on the roads and has campaigned nationally for other reforms to eliminate risk.
These include:
She has also provided full backing to families from Forget-me-not Families Uniting (FFU) who are campaigning for urgent measures including Progressive Driving Licences (GDL) for newly qualified drivers to slash the high number of young driver deaths in the UK.
They include Karen and John Rowlands, from Durham, whose son Andrew was a passenger in a car that had been bought by a friend for £100 and was illegal and unroadworthy when it crashed in June 2020, claiming his life.
In launching the Road Safety Strategy, the Government has announced new consultations covering the introduction of a three or six-month minimum learning period to give learner drivers more time to develop their skills, the lowering of the drink drive limit in England and Wales which has remained unchanged since 1967, and mandatory eyesight testing for those over 70.
It has also pledged to explore the use of preventative technology, such as alcohol interlock devices, as a condition for being allowed to drive again following prosecution, new powers to suspend driving licences for those suspected of drink or drug driving offences and the launch of a new Road Safety Investigation Branch to analyse collision patterns, drawing on police and healthcare data to inform prevention strategies.
Commenting on the announcement, Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “This strategy is long overdue, but I believe it is a turning point – and will save lives. I am pleased the Government has listened to the voices and experiences of grieving families, experts and campaigners in pushing forward the important safety measures we’ve been highlighting for some time. These painfully lived experiences continue to serve as a catalyst for change.
“However, there are limitations in what we’ve heard, and I believe the Government must do even more. There is now compelling evidence that late-night driving curfews and limits on carrying same-age passengers – implemented as part of a Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) approach in other countries – can prevent more young people dying needlessly on our roads and absolutely must not be ignored.
“Equally, we must double down on re-education and retraining, rolling out Mandatory National Driver Offender Retraining (NDOR) for drink/drug drivers and other dangerous motorists to change behaviour before tragedy strikes again and impose tougher sentences on those who cause death whilst impaired by drink or drugs.
“In December alone, 56% of the 109 drivers arrested by Durham Constabulary during its annual enforcement campaign tested positive for cannabis or cocaine, mirroring the national picture. The rise in drug driving is deeply worrying, and urgent action is needed to address the epidemic to prevent more deaths and save innocent lives. I am looking forward to further details on the Government’s plans to address the issue and the turnaround in testing to hold more drivers to account.
“Four people die every day on Britain’s roads with thousands more injured. Every statistic represents a story - a life lost, a family grieving, a community changed forever.
“The ultimate success of the Government’s ambitions depends on sustained investment, without which little can change. If we are serious about saving lives, we need to back these commitments with long-term funding and decisive action.”
Ends
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