A group of 30 leading road safety organisations have produced a manifesto for the next Government to slash the number of injuries and deaths.
The manifesto, which has been coordinated by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), identifies four priorities for whichever party wins the next election.
One of the main points of the manifesto calls on the Government to launch a scheme of Graduated Driver Licensing, which was recently introduced in the House of Commons.
This would place restrictions on people who have recently passed their test, including a potential ban on them carrying passengers for the first 12 months of having their licence.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing motoring@gbnews.uk
It could also see younger drivers having to abide by curfews so they do not get on the roads at night when conditions may be more dangerous.
The manifesto, which has been backed by the RAC Foundation, states that the GDL measure has been proven to reduce fatalities by up to 40 per cent, with such schemes already in use in Canada.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said it was rare for 30 organisations to come together and agree on something as complex as road safety.
He highlighted how the manifesto shows how steps need to be taken urgently to reduce the number of injuries and deaths on the roads.
He added: “For years, if not decades, the benefits of graduated licensing have been talked about and analysed and shown to potentially prevent significant levels of harm on the road.
"Now there seems to be an increasing groundswell of opinion that the time has come for its introduction.
"Perhaps the last people who need convincing are our politicians and hopefully the united message being voiced today will be heard by those with the power to act to keep young people safe as they start their driving lives.”
It is estimated that every day, five people die on UK roads, with more than 30,000 individuals killed or seriously injured annually - resulting in a total economic cost of £43.5billion.
The manifesto also calls on the Government to develop a National Road Safety Strategy which would focus on prevention, protection and post-collision response to accidents.
The Safe System Strategy would work alongside evidence-based targets and "robust safety performance indicators".
Another measure highlighted looks to set out a plan to establish a Road Safety Investigation Branch to independently assess existing methods used to analyse road incidents.
It is hoped that this would also contribute positively to insight designed to prevent future tragedies.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- Major new fuels 'clearly going to part of the solution' for older petrol and diesel cars
- Cyclists could face up to 14 years in prison under tough new traffic rules replacing 'Victorian-era law'
- Major car brands could miss vital electric vehicle targets - 'We need to give people a reason to buy EVs!'
The final point of the manifesto would aim to immediately implement world-leading vehicle safety standards including Automatic Emergency Braking and Intelligent Speed Assistance.
The RAC Foundation stated that the UK had been a world leader in road safety, but since 2010 has stagnated and is now lagging behind other nations.
