Government could ‘look at’ drink-drive laws amid rising deaths, says minister

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Heidi Alexander said it “might be time to have a look at those ” as part of a wider effort to improve road safety, including new awareness campaigns. “I was appointed three weeks ago and one of the first things I said to do was to get the team in who are working on a new road safety strategy that my predecessor committed to. I think she was entirely right to do that.” I was appointed three weeks ago and one of the first things I said to do was to get the team in who are working on a new road safety strategy that my predecessor committed to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander Her comments came two days after 19-year-old Thomas Johnson was jailed for nine years and four months for causing the deaths of three of his friends in a car crash in Oxfordshire last year. “The Government is right to address drink and drug driving but we also feel there is merit in looking how Australia and New Zealand have reduced new driver and passenger fatalities by limiting the number of passengers for at least six months after passing their test.”