New Speeding Penalties Proposed

[Streetcop]

It will mean more points for people....

I look at about 10mph flexibility when I'm dishing tickets, but if these regulations came in...that would be out of the window..

Street

[Tafia]

supraman2954 said:

Tafia said: I brought to attention some time ago a report in the Telegraph which confirmed the lower speed would be 1 mph over the limit. Nicked........ Tafia, do you still have evidence or details of this? If so, can you post it? Cheers.

Hola,

This was circulated by Idris Francis and is from the Telegraph. Piece on limits in third to last paragraph.

Telegraph Safer roads, tighter limits
By Austin Williams
(Filed: 09/10/1004)

Our roads are becoming safer.

Road Casualties Great Britain 2003, published by the National Statistics Office, shows columns of negative figures, indicating a drop in fatalities and injuries in 2002-3.

For drivers and pedestrians, the numbers of road accident casualties are falling in line with government targets spelled out in the 2000 strategy
document, Tomorrow's Roads: Safer for Everyone. This stated that, compared with the 1994-8 average, there should be a 40 per cent reduction in people
killed or seriously injured (KSI), a 50 per cent fall in the number of those under 16 years old KSI, and a 10 per cent decline in the slight casualty rate by the year 2010.

However, before we get carried away with the success of government policy, its worth reminding ourselves that this rate of reduction matches the natural rate of decline of the previous decade, which, some might say, would have continued regardless of official campaigns.

Car traffic volumes rose by two per cent since the previous, 2002 casualty report (and over the past decade by 38 per cent), but car-related KSI
casualties have fallen by eight per cent since 2002 and by 26 per cent since the 1994-8 average. Unfortunately, this success story is not
reflected for powered two-wheelers (PTW). Here, the traffic volume of PTWs has increased by seven per cent since 2002 (and a massive 55 per cent over
the past decade), but their fatalities have increased by 14 per cent and 48
per cent respectively.

Also of note is that the number of child cyclists between the ages of five and 11 classed as KSI has risen by nearly seven per cent since 2002, but is
still down 32 per cent on the 1994-8 average. While the figure for nought to four- year-olds shows an alarming increase of 63 per cent since 2002,
this is only an additional five children killed or seriously injured. For all other age groups, most casualty rates are significantly lower.

Finally, the data collection methods used to compile this report are
expected to face radical alteration and be implemented from next year. From now on, eye-witness and survivor testimony will be determined by a 15-point
multi-choice questionnaire to identify what is called the precipitating factor, and four contributory factors, in any given accident.

My worry is that while these comments might add a certain sociological depth to future casualty statistics, by giving credence to opinion it might
actually undermine the scientific/bureaucratic clarity that has been the stock in trade of these reports over the years.

Despite these safety improvements, new speed trap legislation will soon make driving one mph over the limit a statutory offence, adds Michael Kemp.

The move, threatening millions more motorists with fines and licence endorsement, was hidden in changes announced by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling on September 1. Mr Darling is preparing to make legal
history by setting in law that 21, 31, 41, 51 and 71mph are illegal speeds.

Dr Peter Russell, professor of road safety and director of the Driver Education Research Foundation, said: "Some police forces are going to give
drivers a hammering for being just a fraction over the limit. It is very worrying that drivers will not know what tolerance, if any, is being applied. They will be for ever taking their eyes off the road.

"That will be dangerous. It is a recipe for creating more accidents. Already there are too many speed cameras questionably sited in needlessly
varying speed limits, raising suspicion that they exist only to trap drivers and raise money."

Austin Williams is director of the Future Cities Project:
www.futurecities.org.uk.

[supraman2954]

Thanks Tafia.

Now, where do I begin?

telegraph said:

For drivers and pedestrians, the numbers of road accident casualties are falling in line with government targets spelled out in the 2000 strategy document.......

strange, this is now on the increase

telegraph said:

However, before we get carried away with the success of government policy.......

telegraph said:

Finally, the data collection methods used to compile this report are expected to face radical alteration……

I found a link for this report:
http://motoring.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2004/10/08/emncas09.xml&sSheet=/motoring/2004/10/08/ixmot.html

I also found the document that the report was based on, but I can’t find any indication within it that states that slight infractions of the posted speed limit will result with prosecution.

The document is here:
www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/pdf/dft_rdsafety_pdf_504644.pdf

DFT report said:

6.18 On motorways and dual carriageways the safety record is significantly better than on other types of road. The main improvements here will come from better compliance with existing speed limits. We will be using cameras and other targeted enforcement activity to encourage compliance.......

Numpties are by far and away the greatest problem on the motorways, scameras will not change their behavior.

DFT report said:

6.30 Government policy is to reduce congestion and its effect on the environment and the economy. But, in free flowing traffic, a significant proportion of drivers and riders choose to speed. At night, particularly, freer flowing traffic usually leads to higher speeds and increased casualty rates. Speeding at night creates noise nuisance as well as doubling the accident rate......

Have these guys never listened to the traffic reports on the radio, these only occur during rush hour for a reason. Rush hour is usually during the day......