WITH the UK Government's new Road Safety Strategy imminent, road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist has produced six areas it wants to be included in the new plans.

Vision is the most critical sense for safe driving, yet eyesight standards remain self-declared for licence renewal until age 70.

Beyond that, drivers simply tick a box to confirm their sight is adequate.

GEM says it believes all drivers should pass a professional eyesight test when they reach 70, and then every three years after that.

For all other licence holders, a professional eyesight test every 10 years would mirror how passports are renewed. GEM adds that with an ageing driving population, mandatory eyesight testing is common sense.

On graduated licensing for new drivers GEM says evidence from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and several US states is unequivocal: graduated driver licensing (GDL) reduces collisions and casualties among new drivers by imposing stepped exposure to risk.

Britain's newest drivers, particularly those aged 17 to 24, remain disproportionately represented in fatal and serious crashes.

A UK GDL system could include supervised experience before solo night driving, passenger number restrictions and zero-tolerance limits for alcohol.

Researchershave presented the evidence and shown the benefits, but up to now political will is missing. GEM believes we owe our new drivers the best possible start to their experiences behind the wheel.

With seat belt offences GEM states that evidenceshows that seat belts are one of the simplest lifesavers in road safety history.

Yet every year, around a quarter of car occupants killed in crashes were not wearing them. Fines alone are not shifting behaviour among the intransigent group who refuse to buckle up.

Making the non-wearing of seat belts a three-point driving offence with a large fine would change the culture, reinforcing that it's not optional. Other European nations have adopted similar penalties to great effect.

On the drink-drive limit and roadside evidential testing GEM points out that Malta and Liechtenstein have the same threshold when it comes to drink-drive limits, and of the 200 or so countries in the world, just 10 have such a generous permitted level.

We need to follow Scotland's example from 2014, aligning science and policy with what we already know keeps people safer. Furthermore, allowing roadside evidential breath testing would cut delays, increase enforcement efficiency and bring swift justice. The technology exists and is already used successfully in countries including Ireland and Australia. There is no valid reason for delay.

The current drink-drive limit in England, Northern Ireland and Wales is higher than the vast majority of Europe.

We need to follow Scotland's example from 2014, aligning science and policy with what we already know keeps people safer, says the organisation,

Furthermore, allowing roadside evidential breath testing would cut delays, increase enforcement efficiency and bring swift justice. The technology exists and is already used successfully in countries including Ireland and Australia. There is no valid reason for delay.

On drug driving GEM says current driving enforcement is hampered by the cumbersome requirement to await toxicology reports from blood samples.

Weeks can pass before a driver is charged - time that erodes deterrence and public confidence.

Modern testing kits can detect drugs accurately in saliva samples, making these results robust and suitable for evidential use. Allowing this would streamline the justice process and provide a strong deterrent.

And when it comes to calls for immediate licence withdrawal for failed evidential tests GEM says any driver who fails a drink or drug test should lose their licence on the spot. This sends a clear message that driving under the influence is incompatible with holding legal responsibility for a vehicle. Administrative suspension pending court proceedings would protect the public immediately, preventing repeat offences during the months before cases come to court.

GEM believes that each of these proposals is practical, evidence-based and affordable. Together, they form a powerful package capable of resetting the UK's commitment to safer roads.

The Vision Zero concept, which originated in Sweden in 1997, was introduced by the Swedish Parliament in 1997 as part of Sweden's Road Traffic Safety Bill.

Vision Zero is based on the principle that no loss of life on the road is acceptable. Rather than placing blame solely on individual road users, it focuses on designing a transport system that anticipates human error and reduces the likelihood and severity of crashes.

Its target of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads is ambitious but achievable with determined, evidence-led policymaking. These reforms would not only save hundreds of lives each year but would also spare families and communities the grief and devastation that road collisions bring.

GEM adds it awaits the publication of what it hopes will be a bold road safety strategy.