Flexible speed penalties proposed

[DR]

A new flexible system of speeding penalties has been proposed.

The Department of Transport says a consultation exercise on the scheme will begin after the local and European elections in June.

Motorists driving way over the speed limit face up to six points on their licence, but those caught just over the limit could get as few as two points.

At present, motorists receive three points on their licence, regardless of how fast they are going.

Currently, an automatic ban is given to anyone who clocks up 12 points, or four offences, within three years.

However, ministers are worried people who need their licences for work are having them removed. In 2002, 30,000 people were suspended from driving.

There has been controversy, too, over the increased use of speed cameras.

Transport Secretary Alistair Darling countered the criticism and said cameras contributed to safety on the road.

He said: "Independent research shows that they reduce death and serious injury by 35% at sites where they have been placed.

"We must reduce speeding but the public must have confidence that the punishment fits the crime.

"We will be publishing the results of a review of cameras next month and consulting on a new penalties structure.

"The best camera is one that doesn't issue a single ticket as it means people are driving safely and within the speed limit."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3718433.stm

[Shad]

No chance of them refunding us points if we already have them i guess

[Jiff Lemon]

Personally I think cameras should be fines only, points only issued by actual police officers. I realise that this opens a huge can of worms about where they are placed, but its reckless driving that kills - not speed. 65mph on a motorway isn't breaking any laws, but do that 3 inches from the boot of another car and you deserve the book throwing at you.

[spazman]

Points from cameras is a joke.

[Lowe]

If you're only a few mph over they say it'll only be 2 points. Does this mean they're going to lower the threshold of prosecution? I think it does..

Also, they're still not looking at the fact that it could be a perfectly open A road where doing 30mph is as "dangerous" as doing 5mph over in a 30 zone. They're not looking at individual cases, just grouping all offences together in the "Speeding is bad Mkay".

This is just trying to pacify the majority of people who see through the scam.

Not happy..

[TomWilko]

Personally I think cameras should be fines only, points only issued by actual police officers. I realise that this opens a huge can of worms about where they are placed, but its reckless driving that kills - not speed. 65mph on a motorway isn't breaking any laws, but do that 3 inches from the boot of another car and you deserve the book throwing at you.

I agree entirely. Is it right you only get fined on 'red light cameras' and not given points to?

My only other concern with the new system proposed is what about new drivers. At present you are allowed 6 points on your licence within two years. However, under the new system this could mean losing your licence with just one lapse in concentration or moment of stupidity??! Surely thats not right??

[Fox]

I agree entirely. Is it right you only get fined on 'red light cameras' and not given points to?

No. You get 3 points and a £60 fine for traffic signal violations.

[turkster]

Personally I think cameras should be fines only, points only issued by actual police officers. I realise that this opens a huge can of worms about where they are placed, but its reckless driving that kills - not speed. 65mph on a motorway isn't breaking any laws, but do that 3 inches from the boot of another car and you deserve the book throwing at you.

The whole point is that your not ment to break the law. Breaking the law in front of a speed camera or in front of a real cop does no make any difference to the law. Your just hoping the real cop will bend the rules a bit for you while the camera aint.

This doesnt mean to say i disagree with the idea of giving more points the more serious the offence. Infact i think it is a good idea but the only way your going to avoid getting points at all is to always stay within the law.

I know people will whine about being caught for doing 32mph in a 30mph zone but the simple fact remains that it is illegal. Just do 25mph in future!

[Jiff Lemon]

Re-read the post - Where am asking for a cop to bend the rules? If a camera catches you speeding, issue a fine. However, you've only got to look at the placement of some speed cameras to realise that their placement has nothing to do with road safety and everything to do with bringing in revenue.

Remember not too long ago when there was a speed camera on the M4 that wrongly snapped over a thousand motorists? Those motorists now have 3 points on their license for the next 3 years and did NOTHING WRONG. Are the police doing anything about it? No.

As for not speeding > points to clean license

[Grey M@a]

I got three points on my licence for doing 31mph in a 30mph zone. Now i don't know about everyone else, but if you were to keep it at 30mph all the time you would be more of a danger to the roads as you would have to clock watch all the time and take your eyes off the road to hit 30mph on the head. Its impossible to stay at the same speed for long, and its human nature to accelerate then decelerate in order to get back to the lower speed. I tried arguing the fact that the camera's are supposed to catch you over the 10% + 2mph but they weren't having it, even though I produced the document wrote by the chief of police on the rules and regs of camera speeds.

These camera's are just a money making scam, we all know this, not so long ago in the papers the figures showing how many people got done for minor offences (i.e. 1 or 2 mph's over the limit - well within the 85th percentile allowance)

Personally these camera's are a joke and this variable points system will soon die away once the government realise how much money they will lose due to this.

[Rave]

At present, motorists receive three points on their licence, regardless of how fast they are going.

Um, this isn't true is it? I thought you could get an instant ban if you're caught 30mph or more over the speed limit? I was under the impression that if you're taken to court the magistrates can give you as many points as they see fit?

I too have a clean licence, so I can never get all that worked up about speed cameras, even though I would much prefer the money was spent on employing more traffic cops instead. I read recently that the police are finally starting to target people who drive dangerously (undertaking, cutting people up etc.) so that's good.

Rich :¬)

[turkster]

Re-read the post - Where am asking for a cop to bend the rules? If a camera catches you speeding, issue a fine. However, you've only got to look at the placement of some speed cameras to realise that their placement has nothing to do with road safety and everything to do with bringing in revenue.

Well i'm not implying that you personally were expecting the cops to bend the rules but what is the difference between a cop catching you and a camera catching you? Assuming your caught, say doing 10mph over the speed limit, why should you get only a fine from a camera while youd get points froma a real cop?

I wont deny that the placing of cameras may be dubious and maybe there are problems with people being falsly accused but assuming that you are correctly caught breaking the law then the placing and the motives behind the placing of the cameras becomes irrelevant.

The whole point behind the speed limit is to try and keep ALL cars to a reasonably safe speed. I agree that there are many people out there who are more likely to cause an accident from dangerous driving than speeding but that does not mean that people should be allowed to bend the law because THEY think it is safe.

Maybe it is difficult to keep within the speed limit but then it is difficult to drive a car in the first place. It requires a bit of discipline and tbh if one doesn't have that discipline one shouldnt be on the road in the first place .

Driving a car is a large responsibility and it should be treated as such.
People can, and do, die because of other people's irresponsibility in cars.

[spazman]

A mobile camera in Reading set the European (if not world) record for speeding offences by taking over £65,000 of tickets in 1 day. This was down the King's Road (for people who know Reading), this is probably the busiest road in Reading , by no means the most dangerous, quite obviously a money making scam.

[turkster]

Well if they were actually speeding then it be being a revenue making scam makes little difference to the legality of it.
It may not be a dangerous road but if people are breaking the law then so be it.

[DaBeeeenster]

A mobile camera in Reading set the European (if not world) record for speeding offences by taking over £65,000 of tickets in 1 day. This was down the King's Road (for people who know Reading), this is probably the busiest road in Reading , by no means the most dangerous, quite obviously a money making scam.

Quite obviously a lot of people breaking the law.

[Grey M@a]

granted these camera's are there to stop you speeding, but all who are replying here, honestly how many of you just pop over to 31 - 32 mph you would expect to get away with it as its a minute fraction over it. I got done for 31mph which is well within the 10% + 2mph and they still did me. Its all money. I would bet not one person in this forums could do a 1 - 2 mile stretch on 30mph exact you will either drop under or go slightly over but never 30 dead on for the one or two miles.