One Million Drivers Nearly Banned!
Discussion
More than a million motorists are just one conviction away from losing their driving licences, it was revealed.
Up to 16 per cent of licence-holders have penalty points for speeding.
Of these, 21 per cent have nine or more penalty points – just one conviction away from a disqualification.
The figure is up from 17 per cent on last year and means the number of people on the brink of losing licences has risen by more than 215,000 in 12 months.
The region with the most drivers with penalty points is the North-East, where a fifth of motorists have been caught breaking the law.
The lowest is the South-West of England, where only eight per cent of motorists have ruined their clean licences.
Drivers have paid out more than £300 million in speed camera fines in the past three years, according to research by insurer Direct Line.
Nearly half those convictions involved drivers being over the limit by less than 10mph.
However, under a new graduated penalty points system, anyone driving at less than 10mph over the limit is likely to receive fewer points than the current three.
Emma Holyer, a spokeswoman for Direct Line, said: 'We urge motorists not to break the law because they face numerous consequences, such as killing or injuring themselves or others, disqualification, job loss and financial loss.'
www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=43179&in_page_id=34
Up to 16 per cent of licence-holders have penalty points for speeding.
Of these, 21 per cent have nine or more penalty points – just one conviction away from a disqualification.
The figure is up from 17 per cent on last year and means the number of people on the brink of losing licences has risen by more than 215,000 in 12 months.
The region with the most drivers with penalty points is the North-East, where a fifth of motorists have been caught breaking the law.
The lowest is the South-West of England, where only eight per cent of motorists have ruined their clean licences.
Drivers have paid out more than £300 million in speed camera fines in the past three years, according to research by insurer Direct Line.
Nearly half those convictions involved drivers being over the limit by less than 10mph.
However, under a new graduated penalty points system, anyone driving at less than 10mph over the limit is likely to receive fewer points than the current three.
Emma Holyer, a spokeswoman for Direct Line, said: 'We urge motorists not to break the law because they face numerous consequences, such as killing or injuring themselves or others, disqualification, job loss and financial loss.'
www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=43179&in_page_id=34
Just goes to show that it's a self-financing form of 'road safety' which sadly has not caused any improvement in fatalities in reality.
I would also argue that it is possible to avoid the vast majority of scammers' traps by being more observant and cautious - thinking of the places that a mobile van could be lurking has to be part of your general hazard perception these days.
The urge not to line the pockets of the spongers/leeches in the camera partnerships is my number 1 priority these days when driving, above all else.
I would also argue that it is possible to avoid the vast majority of scammers' traps by being more observant and cautious - thinking of the places that a mobile van could be lurking has to be part of your general hazard perception these days.
The urge not to line the pockets of the spongers/leeches in the camera partnerships is my number 1 priority these days when driving, above all else.
tonyvid said:
It could be that 1 million drivers don't learn their lessons, improve their observation skills and behave in places where they should know better
Or it could be that speed limits are out of date, wholly inappropriate or deliberately lowered to gain conviction numbers.
The latter I absolutely know to be true in several areas.
And then of course there is the huge question over the accuracy and reliability of the proven-to-be-flawed-detection equipment.
tonyvid said:
It could be that 1 million drivers don't learn their lessons, improve their observation skills and behave in places where they should know better
If they were all caught by big yellow speed cameras on the side of the road in full view I would quiery their observational skills. But I doubt thats the case.
For all your comments you are about as likely to get a speeding ticket as I am.
We are talking about criminalising getting on for a fifth of the population who may never have come into contact with the law for any other reason, or caused an accidents.
Don't you think this is therefore going to change the way that sizeable section of the population see the police/law?
tonyvid said:
It could be that 1 million drivers don't learn their lessons, improve their observation skills and behave in places where they should know better
It could be but I think it's more likely they were caught by a well concealed scamera or talivan. If all cameras were in plain view the figures might well be lower
To properly look at this though you need to know what the points are on there for. Are all one million just down to speed cameras or is it no insurance or dangerous driving. Take into account the apparent figure of 2,000,000 un-insured drivers is it not possible some of that 1,000,000 are not your or me but some of them? We all know statistics can be twisted. I'm sure that both sides can do it. If your telling me its 1,000,000 average people like you and me then that is shocking. Personaly I doubt it.
alphadog said:
Just goes to show that it's a self-financing form of 'road safety' which sadly has not caused any improvement in fatalities in reality.
I would also argue that it is possible to avoid the vast majority of scammers' traps by being more observant and cautious - thinking of the places that a mobile van could be lurking has to be part of your general hazard perception these days.
The urge not to line the pockets of the spongers/leeches in the camera partnerships is my number 1 priority these days when driving, above all else.
I would also argue that it is possible to avoid the vast majority of scammers' traps by being more observant and cautious - thinking of the places that a mobile van could be lurking has to be part of your general hazard perception these days.
The urge not to line the pockets of the spongers/leeches in the camera partnerships is my number 1 priority these days when driving, above all else.
Mine too. Crazy.
mr_annie_vxr said:
If your telling me its 1,000,000 average people like you and me then that is shocking. Personaly I doubt it.
I have been driving for 14 years now, never been a real petrolhead - have always liked a nice car (should read nice car for my age at that point - Escort 1.6 Ghia, Renault 5 GT Turbo, Peugeot 205 GTI, Alfa GTV) , but that is about it. Never subscribed to car magazines, or read forums or anything like that. I was Mr Average car driver - knew my highway code and how to drive without driving into anything/anyone. (Luckily - as fate plays its part with other drivers on the road) - I had never had an accident, but had collected 3 points in 1998 for being a cock and racing a BMW down the M23. Fair enough.
In 2003 I managed to collect 9 points in 2 weeks - driving to/from work on M2 that I drove up and down every day. Basically cameras moving to keep up with roadworks, and me driving down a deserted three lane motorway at 2.00am. I bent over - and took it like a man. Just before the 9 points, I had paid for my DAS for my motorbike, and the bug has bitten hard. Best thing I have ever done.
I was introduced to the Biker Forum here, and the started to read this forum. I can only describe it as enlightening. I should not have bent over and taken it like a man - there were people on this forum talking about laws/rules I never knew existed. My first NIP for the 9 points came through after 1 month - I took it - should have appealed. My 2nd one took over a month - I took it like a man - should have appealed. When the points came through, they were the wrong offence code - pushing my insurance up by more than it should have - I dodn't know.
Ignorance on my part - exactly what I bet a large % of those 1,000,000 people are. People don't know what is happening in this country, and the way they are being shafted.
I am glad I am more enlightened, and if I hear anyone talking about NIP's and other things, I will always offer advice or point them in this direction. There are so many people that do not understand what is happening, and believe the speed kills message. Every one of those people that I explain to that speed doesn't kill never gets it, when I mention inappropriate speed - all of them get it.
The point I am trying to make, is that there are so many Mr Average drivers getting shafted, that this will continue until people come across information like this.
Incidentally - passing the DAS was the best thing I ever did to improve my awareness. Really helps to spot those yellow cameras! Even the hidden ones can be seen when you are really concentrating!
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