30/11/2004

Tougher penalties target reckless drivers

Road Safety Minister David Jamieson has announced a raft of new road safety measures today, including tougher penalties for reckless drivers.

Mr Jamieson acknowledged the need for a wider range of penalties to "defend the majority of safe drivers against a minority of dangerous ones."

Currently no distinction is made between those drivers caught slightly over the speed limit and those who have "grossly exceeded" it. Under the new rules anyone caught doing 40 to 45mph in a 30mph zone could get six points on their licence, whereas a person found just over the limit will get two points. Additionally, new rules in the Road Safety Bill will enable courts to force drink drivers to resit their driving test.

Following a recent RAC Foundation study, which has found that despite a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving the number of people who flout this law has risen, the penalty is set to rise from £30 to £60, with three licence endorsement points.

Ministers want to cut the number of people killed or seriously in road accidents by 40%, and by half for children, by 2010.

Last year the death toll on Britain's roads was 3,508 and 33,707 were seriously injured.

(mmcg/sp)

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