The government has announced proposals to reduce road accidents in Britain beyond 2010 in a 10 year plan.

The main focus to reduce road accidents will be focused on reducing speed limits and targeting learner drivers to educate them better.

The proposals include recommendations to reduce speed limits in urban areas from 30mph to 20mph, and introducing 20mph zones around schools.

Countryside roads will be under review from their local authorities where if it is found that they are road accident black spots they will be able to reduce the speed limits.

More information will be available to learner drivers about instructors to help them choose one.

Van drivers will be able to take a new vocational qualification.

Jim Fitzpatrick a Department for Transport (DfT) Minister said: "We've already made real improvements to the safety of our roads - there are now almost 17,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries in a year than there were in the mid-1990s. But it is intolerable that eight people are still dying on our roads each day.

"The major changes to the driver training and testing process will create better-prepared drivers while our plans for the next 10 years aim to make the roads and vehicles they use safer and so prevent many of the terrible crashes which cut short lives and tear families apart."

Researchers into road accidents claim that one in five die when hit by a vehicle at 30mph, but this is reduced to one in forty at 20mph.