The government has used the relative lull in news over the summer to give signs of what might be in its forthcoming road safety review, the first in a decade.
While injury numbers are significantly lower than they were a generation ago, with serious road casualties halving from 41,000 in 2000 to 24,000 in 2010, they have since increased by nearly 20 per cent.
It is therefore welcome that we are likely to see proposals to tackle this, including on drink and drug-driving, seatbelt use, driving without insurance and improved eyesight testing.
On the last point ACSO and many others have long called for the UK’s antiquated rules above driver eyesight to be overhauled. Currently, all drivers must do is pass the deeply flawed number-plate test when they first pass their overall test, with no formal requirement for any further testing thereafter (although people are meant to inform the DVLA of any relevant new issues with their vision).
Almost all other European countries have more stringent and ongoing requirements, especially for older drivers who are more likely to experience deteriorating vision, and so this looks like a long-overdue recognition from the Department for Transport that things need to change if we are to make our roads safer.
ACSO looks forward to seeing the detail of the proposals and responding to any consultations later in the year.