Legal Experts Respond To New Road Safety Measures

Serious injury experts have adopted a cautious welcome to the Government’s announcement of a series of new measures being considered to help make Britain’s roads safer.

Under the new plans learner drivers will be given motorway experience with an instructor before they can pass their test.

The Department for Transport has proposed that learner drivers, who are currently prohibited from using the motorway until they have passed their test, would be offered the opportunity to take a motorway driving lesson with an approved driving instructor in a dual-controlled car.

The move would be backed by a £2 million research scheme into driver education.

Other plans include:

:: Providing police with more funding for enforcement to empower forces to remove more dangerous drivers from the road.

:: Increasing the penalties for drivers who use a handheld phone at the wheel, from three points to four, and increasing fines from £100 to £150;

:: A Government consultation on changes to improve cycling safety;

:: Strengthening compulsory basic training (CBT) for learner motorcyclists.

The Government said the raft of proposed changes was designed to reduce the number of people killed and injured on the country's roads.

A series of consultations on the specific proposals will follow next year.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “We are delivering common-sense proposals that balance tougher penalties for dangerous drivers with practical steps to help youngsters and other more vulnerable groups stay safe on our roads."

The announcements come as the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, falls and millions of drivers take to the road to make the journey to see family for Christmas.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell conducted research to suggest that there is a marked increase in enquiries arising from road traffic collisions between October and February during darker evenings and in poor weather.

As a result the firm has launched its #SaferJourneys campaign in a bid to help raise awareness of poor conditions and make the roads safer during the winter months