The Government's ongoing drive to improve safety on our roads took a significant step forward today after the Road Safety Bill was granted Royal Assent.
The Road Safety Act will introduce the new offences of causing death by careless driving or causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. It will crack down on motorists who break the law by driving without insurance, or using a vehicle that is unroadworthy, and will also make it more difficult for foreign drivers to escape penalties for driving offences committed in the UK.
It will also bring in measures to raise driving standards through better education and training, and offer more appropriate penalties for offences such as speeding or driving using a hand-held mobile phone.
Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman said:
"We have one of the best safety records in the world. Over 15,000 fewer people were killed or seriously injured in road accidents in 2005 than compared to the mid-1990s. But nine people still die needlessly every day, causing terrible trauma for their families and friends. That is why we are determined to stamp out bad and irresponsible driving, which endangers us all.
"The new Road Safety Act plugs gaps in current legislation to stop drivers who kill walking away from court with just a fine. It clamps down on those who keep untaxed, uninsured or unroadworthy vehicles. It provides greater powers as we work to eradicate the scourge of drink driving and puts in place measures to improve the training and testing of our young drivers."
Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe added:
"We believe the new offences of causing death by careless driving and causing death while driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured strike the right balance between the level of criminal fault on the part of the bad driver and the devastation their actions can cause. We've responded to the concerns of families, victims, road safety groups and the police. That's why we've created a tougher legal framework to deal with bad driving. "
Research shows that one moment of carelessness on the road can have serious consequences. 32% of car occupants die in single vehicle accidents, which involve no other vehicle, and statistics show that these types of accidents are increasing. It is for this reason the Road Safety Act is being introduced.
Its main actions are:
1. Introducing a new offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving and of causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. These offences will carry a carry a custodial sentence of up to 5 years and 2 years respectively and are likely to come into law next year. The Act will also increase the penalty fines for careless and inconsiderate driving, doubling the fine from £2500 to £5000;
2. Introducing the new offence of being the registered keeper of an uninsured vehicle. This will carry a fixed penalty fine of £100 plus the power for the enforcement authorities to clamp and, in appropriate cases, dispose of such vehicles. Technology already in place - automatic number plate recognition cameras - linked to databases of uninsured vehicles already helps police to instantly spot and ultimately seize and destroy cars being driven without insurance. Consultation on the detailed regulations for this scheme will be launched early next year;
3. The penalties for the existing offences of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving and for failing to have proper control of a vehicle will be increased to include three penalty points and a £60 fixed penalty fine;
4. The range of penalty points for speeding is to be extended and retraining for speeders will be available under the new Act. This will allow tougher punishment for those who speed the most seriously, as well as scope for lesser penalties for less severe speeding. Consultation on the detail of how this will work will be launched soon;
5. The Act will give the Government powers to make repeat drink-drive offenders retake their driving test. It will ensure that repeat offenders are kept from driving until they have completed the necessary medical examination. It also enables the future use of alcohol ignition interlocks - which have been shown to be very effective in discouraging persistent re-offending.
6. To prevent foreign drivers evading penalties for breaking our laws of the Road, the Act will enable police and VOSA enforcement officers to require offenders who cannot supply a satisfactory UK address to pay an immediate deposit in lieu of a fixed penalty, or pending a court hearing. If they fail to pay the deposit officers are to be given powers to immobilise the vehicle, preventing drivers from leaving the country before payment of a fixed penalty.
7. To improve the training and testing available to young or new drivers, the Act will facilitate the introduction of new arrangements for professional driving instructors, thereby helping to further improve their standards. It will also provide for the introduction of mandatory quality assurance arrangements in those areas of driver training that are not currently regulated, and where there is a clear need for intervention to raise standards. Alongside this, it provides for the publishing of information about persons and organisations providing driver training.
The Road Safety Act will introduce the new offences of causing death by careless driving or causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. It will crack down on motorists who break the law by driving without insurance, or using a vehicle that is unroadworthy, and will also make it more difficult for foreign drivers to escape penalties for driving offences committed in the UK.
It will also bring in measures to raise driving standards through better education and training, and offer more appropriate penalties for offences such as speeding or driving using a hand-held mobile phone.
Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman said:
"We have one of the best safety records in the world. Over 15,000 fewer people were killed or seriously injured in road accidents in 2005 than compared to the mid-1990s. But nine people still die needlessly every day, causing terrible trauma for their families and friends. That is why we are determined to stamp out bad and irresponsible driving, which endangers us all.
"The new Road Safety Act plugs gaps in current legislation to stop drivers who kill walking away from court with just a fine. It clamps down on those who keep untaxed, uninsured or unroadworthy vehicles. It provides greater powers as we work to eradicate the scourge of drink driving and puts in place measures to improve the training and testing of our young drivers."
Home Office Minister Gerry Sutcliffe added:
"We believe the new offences of causing death by careless driving and causing death while driving unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured strike the right balance between the level of criminal fault on the part of the bad driver and the devastation their actions can cause. We've responded to the concerns of families, victims, road safety groups and the police. That's why we've created a tougher legal framework to deal with bad driving. "
Research shows that one moment of carelessness on the road can have serious consequences. 32% of car occupants die in single vehicle accidents, which involve no other vehicle, and statistics show that these types of accidents are increasing. It is for this reason the Road Safety Act is being introduced.
Its main actions are:
1. Introducing a new offence of causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving and of causing death by driving while unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured. These offences will carry a carry a custodial sentence of up to 5 years and 2 years respectively and are likely to come into law next year. The Act will also increase the penalty fines for careless and inconsiderate driving, doubling the fine from £2500 to £5000;
2. Introducing the new offence of being the registered keeper of an uninsured vehicle. This will carry a fixed penalty fine of £100 plus the power for the enforcement authorities to clamp and, in appropriate cases, dispose of such vehicles. Technology already in place - automatic number plate recognition cameras - linked to databases of uninsured vehicles already helps police to instantly spot and ultimately seize and destroy cars being driven without insurance. Consultation on the detailed regulations for this scheme will be launched early next year;
3. The penalties for the existing offences of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving and for failing to have proper control of a vehicle will be increased to include three penalty points and a £60 fixed penalty fine;
4. The range of penalty points for speeding is to be extended and retraining for speeders will be available under the new Act. This will allow tougher punishment for those who speed the most seriously, as well as scope for lesser penalties for less severe speeding. Consultation on the detail of how this will work will be launched soon;
5. The Act will give the Government powers to make repeat drink-drive offenders retake their driving test. It will ensure that repeat offenders are kept from driving until they have completed the necessary medical examination. It also enables the future use of alcohol ignition interlocks - which have been shown to be very effective in discouraging persistent re-offending.
6. To prevent foreign drivers evading penalties for breaking our laws of the Road, the Act will enable police and VOSA enforcement officers to require offenders who cannot supply a satisfactory UK address to pay an immediate deposit in lieu of a fixed penalty, or pending a court hearing. If they fail to pay the deposit officers are to be given powers to immobilise the vehicle, preventing drivers from leaving the country before payment of a fixed penalty.
7. To improve the training and testing available to young or new drivers, the Act will facilitate the introduction of new arrangements for professional driving instructors, thereby helping to further improve their standards. It will also provide for the introduction of mandatory quality assurance arrangements in those areas of driver training that are not currently regulated, and where there is a clear need for intervention to raise standards. Alongside this, it provides for the publishing of information about persons and organisations providing driver training.
No comments:
Post a Comment