Powers granted today (15 August 2013) enable the Police to deliver fixed penalty points at the roadside for offences including tailgating and staying in the middle lane of motorways.
Police officers will now be able to issue £100 fines and levy three points on-the-spot rather than take offenders through the courts.
Fines for using a mobile telephone whilst driving or not wearing a seatbelt have also increased from £60 to £100.
Diverting offenders away from courts is unlikely to provide significant deterrent
David Robinson, Chair of RoadPeace North East and a Thompsons solicitor specialising in dealing with serious and fatal road traffic accidents, said: “Increasing fines may be perceived as taking road safety more seriously but these won't really hit offenders in the pocket as they should when the impact of using a mobile whilst driving is so massively distracting and therefore dangerous.
“Dealing with offences of careless driving at the road side looks like a quick and effective way to deal with offences but it will ultimately lead to a build up of bad drivers remaining on our roads who have never had the humiliation and inconvenience of going before the courts to make them think twice. Sadly I fear this is more about the Government wanting to reduce court costs rather than seeking to truly promote road safety.”
Injured on the roads? Help and compensation is close at hand.
If you’ve been injured on the roads in the last three years, Thompsons Solicitors' expert road traffic accident solicitors can support you with making a road traffic compensation claim.
Whether you were the driver or passenger in a car, lorry, coach, van, bus, truck, on public transport or were injured as a pedestrian or cyclist, you may be able to claim for damages.
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