The UK government's newly published road safety strategy has prompted varied reactions from the insurance industry, with stakeholders welcoming the initiative while raising questions about potential gaps in addressing young driver risk.
The strategy, the first comprehensive plan in over a decade, targets a 65% reduction in deaths and serious injuries on British roads by 2035, with a 70% reduction goal for children under 16.
Measures include action on drink driving, improved training for young drivers, mandatory eye tests for older motorists, and new vehicle safety requirements.
Marco Distefano (pictured above, left), managing director at AXA Retail, said the insurer was "pleased to see the Government has published the long-awaited road safety strategy." He noted that targeted action on speeding, mobile phone use, and uninsured drivers "should go a long way in helping to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads."
AXA cited a survey of 2,000 motorists showing that 53% admitted to knowingly breaking a driving law, with 26% acknowledging they regularly exceed the speed limit. Distefano said these findings highlight the importance of the government's commitment to publish national guidance on road safety education.
Meanwhile, Sarah Vaughan (pictured above, centre) of Angelica Solutions questioned whether graduated driver licensing represented a missed opportunity.
Her firm's analysis of Stats19 government data found that collisions involving younger drivers resulted in 44% more killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties than those involving older drivers in 2024 – 4,740 compared to 3,300. Including all casualties, the gap widened to 75%.
Vaughan noted that claim frequencies for new drivers increase notably in the first month after passing their test compared to provisional licence holders. She suggested that mandating telematics for newly qualified drivers within their first two years could offer "a practical middle ground," citing research showing a 10x difference in claim frequency between the highest and lowest scoring telematics users.
"It's time we recognised them as a core part of the road safety ecosystem," Vaughan said of insurers' potential contribution to road safety efforts.
Alex Brockman (pictured above, right), operations director at telematics insurtech ThingCo, echoed concerns about the post-test period. He said the proposal to extend waiting times before practical tests "doesn't address the reality that the riskiest time for any driver is the first 3 months after passing their practical test."
Brockman identified high speed at night, peer pressure from young passengers, and alcohol as key factors in serious crashes. ThingCo indicated it would respond to the consultation with recommendations including telematics products for young drivers, limits on young passengers for new drivers, and graduated speed limits similar to those in Northern Ireland.
