Road Safety Bill granted Royal Assent

1 November 2006

The Government's ongoing drive to improve safety on our roads took a significant step forward today after the Road Safety Bill was granted Royal Assent.
The Road Safety Act will introduce the new offences of causing death by careless driving or causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. It will crack down on motorists who break the law by driving without insurance, or using a vehicle that is unroadworthy, and will also make it more difficult for foreign drivers to escape penalties for driving offences committed in the UK.

It will also bring in measures to raise driving standards through better education and training, and offer more appropriate penalties for offences such as speeding or driving using a hand-held mobile phone.

Research shows that one moment of carelessness on the road can have serious consequences. 32% of car occupants die in single vehicle accidents, which involve no other vehicle, and statistics show that these types of accidents are increasing. It is for this reason the Road Safety Act is being introduced.
More details on the DFT website