UK road safety laws were introduced at different times, insurer says

Rules now regarded as central to road safety arrived at different points in modern motoring, with some becoming legal requirements only in recent decades. Front-seat belt use became compulsory in British cars in 1983, while rear-seat passengers were not legally required to buckle up until 1991. Child car seats became a legal requirement in 2006, according to Lancaster Insurance, which has drawn attention to the changes ahead of Road Safety Week, running from 15 to 21 November.

The company’s review also points to how recently the law caught up with the use of mobile phones in cars. Using a phone behind the wheel was legal until 2003, while the rules were tightened in 2022 to prohibit any kind of handheld use.

Yvonne Gosney of Lancaster Insurance said early booster-style seats appeared in the 1930s but were not designed with safety in mind. Car seats became more popular in the 1960s and 1970s, she said, although their use was only recommended before the 2006 legal requirement.

Drink-driving rules also came later than many motorists may expect. Before 1967, there was no legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers in the UK, and prosecution depended on a driver being visibly too drunk to drive. The introduction of breathalysers and legal limits was controversial at the time, Gosney said, describing the change as a move towards prevention rather than enforcement after the fact.

The motorway and dual-carriageway 70mph limit was introduced in 1965 as a temporary measure and made permanent in 1967 following a series of serious accidents. Before the limit, there was no general maximum speed on those roads. Speed cameras began appearing in the 1990s and became widespread in the early 2000s, while the 30mph limit in built-up areas dates to 1934.

Vehicle testing and equipment requirements evolved alongside those rules. MOT testing began in 1960 and initially covered cars more than 10 years old. Early tests focused on basic mechanical problems; seat belts were not included in MOT checks until the 1980s, Gosney said.

Indicators were not a legal requirement before 1936, when drivers signalled by putting an arm out of a window. Electric flashing indicators spread during the 1950s and were standard on new cars by the 1960s. Their operation became part of the MOT test in 1977. Vehicles first used after 1 April 1986 must have an amber side repeater on each side, Gosney said.

Airbags appeared in a small number of cars in the 1970s and became widespread in the 1990s. Other milestones include compulsory motor insurance in 1931, the first driving test in 1935 and compulsory safety helmets for motorcycle and moped riders in 1973.

Gosney said the changes show how different motoring was when many classic cars first appeared on British roads. She said those vehicles reflect an era when seat belts, child restraints and drink-driving restrictions were not the everyday requirements they are now.

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