New government Road Safety Strategy: What it means to you
Britain’s first new road safety strategy in a decade promises tougher rules for drivers — and for motorcyclists, which could mean safer roads or just another shift in how risk is managed.
The government has unveiled its first full road safety strategy in more than a decade, promising to cut deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by nearly two-thirds by 2035.
While the headlines are aimed squarely at car drivers, the knock-on effects matter just as much for motorcyclists, who remain disproportionately represented in serious collision statistics. When policy tightens around drink driving, inexperience, eyesight and enforcement, riders tend to feel the consequences first, usually in the form of fewer margins for error and less tolerance from those sharing the road.
Published this week by the DfT, the strategy targets a 65 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries within ten years, rising to 70 per cent for under-16s. It’s a tacit admission that progress has stalled — and that the existing rulebook hasn’t kept pace with modern traffic, vehicles or rider vulnerability.
Learners to spend longer in the hot seat
Inexperience remains a major factor in collisions, and riders know all too well how unpredictable newly qualified drivers can be. Extending the learning period to three or six months is designed to expose novices to night riding, poor weather and heavier traffic before they’re let loose solo.
For motorcyclists, better-prepared drivers should mean fewer panic manoeuvres, late braking moments and blind-spot surprises. That said, the cost and accessibility of learning will remain contentious — especially if delays push more people into rushed or informal training routes. And while the DfT is talking about training as a whole, it’s not yet clear whether this is specifically for car drivers, or if motorcyclists will also have longer mandatory training periods.
Eyesight and ageing drivers
Mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70 is another move on the table. Most older drivers will pass without issue, but even a small improvement in detection and reaction times could make a measurable difference to rider safety, particularly on rural roads where bikes are least expected and most exposed.
Drink driving clampdown
Few things put riders at greater risk than drivers who shouldn’t be behind the wheel at all. The proposed consultation on lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales is therefore hard to argue with, particularly given that one in six road deaths in 2023 involved alcohol.
Motorcyclists already treat drink and riding as non-negotiable. If this strategy pushes drivers to the same standard, it can only help. Proposals such as alcohol interlocks for convicted offenders may not be perfect, but anything that removes repeat offenders from traffic benefits those with the least physical protection.
Big brother cracking down on dodgy plates, insurance and MOTs
Illegal plates are once again in the crosshairs, although it's not the tiny plate residing on the backside of your Fireblade they are after, it’s so-called ‘ghost plates’. These can confuse speed cameras and ANPR systems, effectively hiding the VRN from the authorities to avoid fines and hide the identity of the vehicle.
Increased ANPR use and data sharing is another move, and while that may feel intrusive, if it removes vehicles that shouldn’t be on the road, it’s a trade-off most riders will accept.
More tech, whether you want it or not
Mandated safety tech like autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance will reshape traffic behaviour, even if riders don’t directly benefit from it. In theory, fewer rear-end shunts and lane-drift incidents should reduce common motorcycle collision types.
The concern, as ever, is over-reliance. Tech that compensates for poor observation isn’t a substitute for looking properly, especially for bikes that don’t always register clearly on sensors.
A new Road Safety Investigation Branch and oversight board suggest a more joined-up approach than the UK has managed in years. The language has softened around blame, acknowledging that roads, vehicles and enforcement matter too.
But motorcyclists know how this usually plays out. The rules may be written for everyone, yet riders often feel the consequences more acutely. Whether this strategy delivers real safety gains will depend not on ambition, but on consistent enforcement — and whether the responsibility is genuinely shared.
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In This Article
Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!