Labour has extended the deadline for a number of its key consultations aimed at improving road safety, potentially delaying the implementation of major driving law changes.
The Road Safety Strategy was unveiled at the start of the year as part of the Government's plan to slash the number of accidents on the road every year.
The Strategy, which is the first significant update from the Government in more than a decade, aims to save thousands of lives on the road.
It has an aim to slash deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads by 65 per cent by 2035, with a further stretch target of 70 per cent for those under 16.
Measures include introducing tougher punishments for motoring offences, a minimum learning period for young drivers and mandatory eyesight tests for older motorists.
Labour has now updated all five of the consultations until 11.59pm on May 11, 2026, while also adding British Sign Language and Welsh translations to the text.
The consultations with a new deadline include introducing a minimum learning period for learner drivers (category B driving licence), introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers, improving moped and motorcycle training, testing, licensing (categories AM, A1, A2 and A driving licence) and mandating vehicle safety technologies in GB type approval and motoring offences.
One of the consultations could see drivers slapped with hefty fines for traffic offences in a move designed to crack down on drivers.
Labour has extended the deadline for several of its consultations on new road safety measures
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It looks at potentially extending existing motoring offences or introducing new offences and will continue to hear opinions until the new deadline.
Potential changes include:
- Drink and drug driving
- Seat belt usage
- Failure to stop and report
- Driving unlicensed
- Driving without a current MOT
- Driving without motor insurance
- Use of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ number plates
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Young drivers will face a mandatory minimum learning period before they can take their practical test under measures included in the Road Safety Strategy
| PATransport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the measures were essential to improve road safety and cut the number of deaths on the road, noting that "progress on road safety had stalled".
She added: "We are taking decisive action to make our roads safer for everyone, from new drivers taking their first lessons to older motorists wanting to maintain their independence.
"The measures we are announcing today will save thousands of lives over the coming decade."
This was echoed by Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood, who added that the Government was acting on demands from campaigners and making change happen.
Under the new rules, older drivers will be required to have mandatory eyesight checks | GETTYThe UK has fallen behind a number of its European counterparts in recent years when it comes to road safety, with 22 European nations making more progress than the UK over the last decade.
Edmund King OBE, director of The AA Charitable Trust and AA president, described the new rules as a "radical reframing of road safety", adding that it was "long overdue".
He continued, saying: "We commend the government for its wide-ranging and ambitious strategy and ambitious targets, which we hope will save the lives of thousands of people.
"Tackling drivers who drive under the influence of drink or drugs, people who don't wear their seatbelts and those getting behind the wheel without insurance are key to reducing road deaths and serious injuries."