Breaking news: Speed cameras are unpopular…

Newswheel staff :: 23 January 2006 :: Filed under Safety

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Who’d a thunk it?

Speed cameras suck. And the UK penalty points system isn’t working. So say all of us, according to research carried out by insurance company A&A Group.  Pretty much what you’d expect motorists to say. But in the battle against the scameras, every little helps.

Chief among complaints from those surveyed was the inability of cameras to account for the circumstances of a speeding offence. Whether you’re nicked doing 90 on a clear and dry motorway or 50 outside the school gates on a rainy day, the punishment is the same.

Over to Tony Allen, chief exec of A&A. “Motorists have lost faith in the points system so now is the time to take a fresh look at how best to police the roads and punish people who break the laws according to the severity of the offence.

“A number of alternative solutions have been put forward. One is that of stepped penalty points - so the more over the speed limit someone is, the more points they get on their licence.

“It might be that where someone is no more than 15% over the limit, they get one point; 15-25% would earn two points; and up to 50%, three points. Any more than this could lead to an immediate ban and subsequent court appearance.

“This could even be tweaked for different roads so, for instance, much harsher penalties and smaller margins for roads near schools.”

All of which is awfully reasonable. But is anybody is listening?

Linkage:
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