DfT (Dept for Transport) wrote:
Drink-drive rehabilitation courses to be modernised
Proposals to modernise the Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) were announced today by the Driving Standards Agency.
These aim to improve both the standard of courses offered to drink-driving offenders and the way they are approved. The proposals are also intended to encourage more training providers to become involved in delivering DDRS courses, improving access to the scheme for offenders in areas with high incidences of drink-driving.
The government also intends to make the financing of the scheme fairer. Rather than the cost of administering the scheme being met by the general taxpayer, the consultation proposes that offenders should pick up the bill for this through the fees they pay to cover the cost of their training.
The overall aim is to reduce the number of re-offenders by educating them on the potential consequences of their behaviour.
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said:
Mike Penning MP wrote:
“Most drivers are safe and responsible but there is a reckless minority who put lives in danger by drink driving and those drivers need to be tackled effectively.
“As well as taking action to help the police to deal with drink-drivers, we are looking at how we can reduce the likelihood of re-offending through improving the Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Scheme.
“Improving the way courses are delivered is a positive step towards achieving this and will help to ensure Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world.”
The government’s Strategic Framework for Road Safety sets out a commitment to improve the enforcement of drink driving legislation by making DDRS courses mandatory for disqualified drink-drivers. The measures proposed in the consultation are the first step in that process.
The consultation can be found at dft.gov.uk/consultations/dsa-2011-01.
I'd like to know what those improved courses will contain and how the current courses are considered lacking at the moment.
I do not have a problem with those offenders paying for their course as that seems logical and fair.
I am a little concerned that it might be treated as a profit making process, and extended to those that currently run the more politically biased 'speed awareness' 'mobile awareness' courses ... ? I hope that it won't be but this needs checking into more thoroughly. If you pay for something directly are you becoming involved in a contract that if later shown failed to deliver who becomes responsible ?
Might the DfT take less interested/responsibility in what each course consists of ? Will it really manage to deliver better material, or is it a way of privatising another sector of road safety and give it to those who will work on making a profit first than deliver proper road safety ? Will the DfT retain a very active interest in this ?
If people continue to DD then is it not a symptom of a greater 'life' problem that needs to be fully addressed with their doctors etc., as well as the provision of further tuition of the effect on road safety for a more immediate change in behaviour?
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