• Introduce technology which will make roads safer, but without victimising responsible drivers and fleecing them as well.
  
• Offer an amnesty to the millions who have been unjustly awarded points on their licenses.
  
• Reform the speeding laws by insisting that only transgressions that endanger life attract points on licenses.
  

Speed cameras produce arbitrary and counterproductive results, and criminalise careful motorists who can't believe they are running foul of the law.

Two of my friends, both slow and careful drivers, have twice been “caught” by speed cameras. I’m sure you know lots of innocent victims too. This is because the cameras are often placed where logic doesn't insist that drivers slow down, where there is absolutely no safety danger. And the penalties – fines and points on licenses - are over the top and often bear no relationship to the seriousness of the "offence".

It is a monstrous injustice that motorists who break the speed limit by a relatively small amount and who pose no safety threat should be penalized with points on their licenses. A simple fine would be sufficient. Doing 35 mph in a 30 mph area shouldn’t lead to a penalty worth 25 per cent of your driving license. I think Labour only introduced this because of some chippy, class war-related thinking, that the poor would suffer more from a £60 fine than the middle classes, so points on licenses would share out the misery in a fair way.

That’s garbage.
Given that a large chunk of the underclass don’t even have licenses or insurance at all, this only makes the point more strongly that police presence to enforce road-safety law is chronically weak.

I believe that if motorists are to be penalised with points on their licenses, there must be an added element of aggravated context - the driving speed should not only be clearly over the limit - say over 40 mph in a 30 mph area – over 55 in a 40, over 90 on the motorway (although the latter shouldn’t be a problem with deserted conditions at night or when traffic is light during the day) - but the driving offence must put other motorists or pedestrians in harm’s way because of the degree of irresponsibility or carelessness involved. In other words - for an offence to attract points, it would need to be egregious and witnessed by a policeman.

To make the policy truly eye-catching (to coin a phrase) the Tories should offer voters an amnesty on all points accumulated on licenses for offenses which were not irresponsible and dangerous. Anyone doing under 40 in a 30, under 55 in a 40, or under 90 on motorways would be eligible for the amnesty, unless their driving posed a threat to their fellow citizens.

To fight off the inevitable challenge by Labour dissemblers that Tories don't care about road safety, Michael Howard should suggest a scheme which would not only be effective, it wouldn't hit the innocent and would be acceptable to all.

The Tories should introduce technology which firstly flashes unlawful speeds to the driver. If the driver fails to respond, traffic lights would automatically halt the traffic. (Obviously this wouldn't work on motorways, but there is really no problem on motorways).

This technology is already in use in Spain. It works beautifully. It slows traffic and doesn't make drivers feel angry and persecuted. True, it won't halt the irresponsible yobbo, but they are not deterred now as they drive around in their unlicensed, uninsured cars. And it won’t make money for greedy “safety camera” quangoes.

Speeding offenses demand CONTEXT. Driving safely at 81 mph on the A27 motorway near me is now attracting camera fines. That is outrageous, unless police can show dangerous driving. Driving at 40 mph on an urban dual carriageway which has been designated with a 30 mph limit by some dimwit council Guardian reading sandelista isn’t a problem offense. Driving carelessly at 25 mph past a school when the children are pouring through the gates might well be.

The speed camera controversy has happened because government has tried to automate the process of law for the motorist and it just hasn’t worked. It is counterproductive for safety as drivers constantly look at their speedometers when they should be concentrating on the road ahead.

Come on Mr Howard. Put an end to this injustice. It’s the right thing to do for us, and it will be the key to Downing Street for you.

Neil Winton – April 25, 2005

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