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A FAIR DEAL FOR THE MOTORIST |
This consultation is trying it on. It’s your money they’re after |
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On 14 June 2012, Department for
Transport (DFT) launched a consultation on increased
Fixed Penalty Notices for Careless Driving
and creating new offences: •
Careless
drivers will be targeted under new proposals announced for consultation by
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning.
“The proposals would make fixed penalty notices
available for careless driving, giving the police greater flexibility in
dealing with less serious careless driving offences and freeing them from
resource intensive enforcement processes”. •
The
proposed fixed penalty for [lesser] careless driving offences would rise from
£60 to £90 with three points on the driver’s licence. •
As
there are already far higher
penalties for the more serious
offence (e.g.) causing death by careless driving, why did Penning stray into “Careless driving is a major public concern and a cause of deaths and
injuries on our roads” when
the focus was on minor offences? |
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IS THERE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE? A clue is in the comment that “The
fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an
alternative to endorsement”, although more serious offenders would
continue to be dealt with in court. The consultation document reveals an ulterior
motive to prop-up and even extend paid-for courses: The current planned expansion of courses to address lower level careless driving is premised on an FPN increase and may be compromised if that does not materialise. (3.6) There is a risk that a substantial differential between the upfront costs of courses and FPNs will reduce the proportion of people opting for courses. (3.5) A higher FPN level would make the widespread introduction of more courses viable. (3.6) ...this level would be consistent with the cost of current remedial training, such as speed awareness courses (3.11) After the experience of speed awareness
courses, it might be seen as suspect for the police to be pushing courses if
they benefited directly from the revenue (cf. commission). There is scope for
much subjectivity in judging things like 'travelling too fast for the
conditions', particularly if your force gains financially. If the current enforcement process is
time consuming and inefficient – particularly for minor lapses - would it be
better use of police time to encourage good practice (NB the AA Charitable Trust
may offer limited remedial training for free). Alternatively a formal caution
or a suspended penalty might be more appropriate than a fine? |
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LACKING A SENSE OF PROPORTION The government wishes to assure us that “the penalties for a wide
range of fixed penalty motoring offences are set at reasonable levels”. The main bias seems to be towards pushing
courses; however the proposals lack a sense of proportion in other respects. It is unbelievable to think that the maximum fine the serious crime of driving without insurance will only
rise from £200 to £300..... Karl McCartney JP MP
has noticed that average premium being avoided would be about £700. Many
people might save paying £1,000 or more – do DFT actually do any homework? Proposing a rise in a Fixed Penalty Notice from £60 to £90 is justified
as rates have not increased for some years. However, official figures (DWP)
just out, have shown a decline in take–home pay, leaving many families no better
off than in 2004-5! Ironically, the media have previously reported that the real cost of a fixed penalty of £50-90 can be more like £200 when resulting higher insurance premiums are taken into account. Some of the lesser offences being
reported in the press (e.g. being in a wrong lane at roundabouts or in an
outer lane too long) cause inconvenience, but should not be seen on a par
with public disorder offences! Being fined £90 would simply breed disrespect
for the law. Similarly, a driver stopped for not
wearing a seat belt (which would not injure others) might feel it overkill if
they were sent on a new purpose-built remedial course and had to take maybe
half a day off work. |
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DOUBLE STANDARDS OF JUSTICE? The proposals for FPNs/fine increases are
set against a backdrop of the Treasury seeking more money from drivers. The 2012 full Budget document noted the
Government’s objective: ”to ensure that all motorists
continue to make a fair contribution to the sustainability of the public
finances”. (As if being taxed five times over for investment in
Britain’s roads wasn’t bad enough). Ironically, some criminals with real
victims have been getting off... the media have reported that unpaid fines
run to £2 billion! In 2010,
more than 23,000 offenders guilty of a violent crime, robbery or sex offence
were given a caution - little more than a formal slap on the wrist. They
accounted for 41% of all criminals responsible for such crimes in that year
meaning almost half of violent offenders never appeared in court where they
could face the risk of a prison sentence. The Government was also reported as
favouring greater leniency
for making innocent mistakes when putting out their bins (e.g. overfilling
their bins or accidentally putting them out on the wrong day). Local
authorities would only be allowed to issue fines if they could prove causing actual harm to local amenity. There is no suggestion that careless
driving actually be condoned – for the more serious cases,
the punishment will fit the crime. However, in law enforcement, a bit of
discretion helps maintain respect for the law, which is supposed to work on a
principle of reasonableness. There may often be mitigating factors like a
lamp bulb failing during a journey (and technically creating a lesser ‘FPN30’
offence). Alternatively, a traffic sign might be
hidden from view, or a driver may judge it is safer to travel in an outer
lane because, say, the surface of an inner lane has been worn down by
juggernauts and has unrepaired potholes. |
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HOW YOU CAN STAND UP FOR YOURSELF... The consultation is on until 5
September 2012 and relates to roads in England. You can write to: Motoring Fixed Penalties Consultation Email: motoringfpnsconsultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk Online form and
consultation documents. Why not also copy in your MP? |
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