New On The Spot Fines To Be Introduced
Friday, 3. June 2011
Image by Amplified2010 via Flickr
Police are to be given the power to issue on the spot fines for dangerous and reckless driving under plans revealed by Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond. This isn’t quite what it seems as it creates visions of the old bill stopping you for doing something silly, issuing you with a ticket and be expecting you to part with readies. The idea, expressed by Hamond as a way to ‘crack down on the really reckless few who are responsible for a disproportionately large number of accidents and deaths’ could be open to abuse by officers with large numbers of tickets being issued for relatively minor infringements.
The problem with the way the scheme will work is that the police, having witnesses an infringement, can choose to issue a ticket depending on how serious they consider the action to be. Once decided and ticket issued the penalty is sent to the offender in the post.
The fines will range from £80 – £100. Beyond that the policeman will decide whether the offence should be graded as a non-endorsable offence with just a fine, endorsable with 3 points and a fine or prosecution in the courts. The problem is of course that the policeman’s word is final.
Offences include tailgating, undertaking and cutting up other drivers. What are your views? By Graham Hill
Related articles
- Police To Give Drivers On-The-Spot Fines (news.sky.com)
