supporttheunderdog.co.uk

1 Million Drivers Facing A Ban

According to Direct Line, over 900,000 motorists have between six and nine points on their licences. Under the totting up system the total permissible number is 12 before a ban comes into force. Worryingly, 14% of those drivers would lose their jobs along with their licences, leaving 128,000 people unemployed. Nearly five million UK motorists now have points on their licences.

Following the introduction of speed cameras in 1992, there are now an estimated 6,000 fixed and mobile camera sites in the UK and in the last two years 92% of all motoring convictions were for speeding. It is claimed that a speeding motorist is caught on film every 15 seconds, raising ?113.7 million in fines in England and Wales last year, a figure which is expected to top ?118m in 2006.

Despite these shocking figures, motorists remain cynical as to the benefits of 'safety-cameras' with six in ten believing they are merely revenue raisers. Any deterrent effect would appear to be negligible, 57% of drivers say cameras have no effect on their speed and nearly three-quarters say fines make no difference either.

The Road Safety Bill will receive a second reading in the House of Commons today and among the proposals under consideration is graduated fixed penalties with a higher number of points and levels of fines to those exceeding the speed limit by a large margin and just two points and a lower fine to those caught just over the limit.

By Henry Biggs

Source: MSN