The Department for Transport has announced a new road safety strategy, described as the first in more than a decade, with a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035 (and 70% for children under 16).

It also signals a shift towards a Safe System approach (design, vehicles, behaviour, and enforcement all sharing responsibility), and proposes a new Road Safety Investigation Branch to analyse collisions using linked police and healthcare data.

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What’s been announced (and what’s likely to affect drivers and instructors)

The press release sets out a mix of policy intent and upcoming consultations. Key points include:

1) A possible minimum learning period for learner drivers (consultation)
Government says it will consult on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers.
DITC take: this could be helpful if it’s done intelligently (quality, not just time served). But if it becomes a blunt “X months” rule, it risks punishing good learners and rewarding box-ticking.

2) Eye tests for drivers over 70 (consultation)
A consultation is planned on mandatory eyesight testing for motorists over 70, and government also mentions developing options around cognitive testing.
DITC take: eyesight is a legitimate safety factor. The important questions will be practical ones: who tests, where, how often, what standard, what happens if someone fails, and how this is enforced fairly.

3) Lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales (consultation)
Government says it will consult on lowering the drink-drive limit, noting it has not changed since 1967.
It also mentions exploring preventative tech like alcohol interlock devices, and new powers linked to licence suspension for suspected drink or drug driving offences.

4) More focus on the “known killers”
Speeding, drink/drug driving, seatbelts, and mobile phone use are explicitly referenced as priority causes the strategy aims to tackle.

5) Enforcement and vehicle compliance issues
The announcement includes measures aimed at illegal number plates (including “ghost” plates), uninsured driving, and vehicles without a valid MOT.

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Why ADIs should care (even if you don’t “do politics”)

Because this isn’t just a road safety strategy. It’s the start of potential changes to:

• what “ready to test” means (minimum learning period) GOV.UK
• what learners and families expect from lessons (more pressure to evidence learning, not just hours)
• what older-driver conversations look like (eyesight testing, possibly cognitive screening)
• what risk messaging the public hears next (drink-driving limits, enforcement and tech).

Instructors will end up translating all of this into real-world decisions, in real cars, with real humans.

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The DITC view (measured, but not passive)

We’re glad road safety is back on the agenda in a serious way, and we welcome a strategy that treats safety as a system, not just “blame the driver”. 

But we’ll be watching closely for two things:

1. Solutions that actually change behaviour (not just headlines and enforcement theatre)
2. Rules that don’t accidentally punish good instructors and responsible learners

If government wants fewer deaths, it needs the people who teach and support drivers to be part of the solution, not an afterthought.

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What happens next (this is the important bit)

This has now moved on from announcements and intentions.
The consultation on introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers is live.

That means this is the point where government asks for views and then uses the responses to justify whatever comes next.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth.

If instructors don’t respond:

• Your view isn’t counted.
• Your silence is taken as acceptance.

That’s not politics. That’s how consultations work.

There’s a strong belief in our industry that “they don’t listen anyway”. Maybe. Sometimes. But if you don’t put anything in, there is nothing to listen to. And when we push back later, the answer will be simple: “You were consulted.”

This also matters for representation.

DITC, and the wider NASP bodies, can only argue as strongly as the evidence allows. Consultation responses are evidence. If ADIs don’t engage, we cannot speak with the same weight on your behalf.

If you care about learner readiness, test pressure, unrealistic rules, or how this lands on instructors day to day, this is the moment that matters.

You can complete the consultation here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-a-minimum-learning-period-for-learner-drivers

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Call to action (DITC)

DITC members will get support through this process. We’ll help cut through:

• what’s genuinely being proposed and what isn’t
• how to respond clearly and professionally
• what to say, and what won’t help your case

But none of that replaces actually responding.

You don’t get to complain about the outcome if you skip the input.

And if you’re not a DITC member yet, this is exactly why the collective exists.
Not to moan after the fact, but to make sure instructors are present when decisions are made.