http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1377322004
The faster you drive, the bigger the fine under new speeding law
ALASTAIR DALTON
TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT
SPEEDING motorists will face higher fines the faster they drive, under a proposed law unveiled yesterday.
Fixed penalties would be replaced by a sliding scale of both fines and penalty points added to driving licences.
The measures in the Road Safety Bill come in the face of protests by anti-speeding groups who complain that some penalties are being cut.
Drivers caught slightly over the limit would be treated more leniently than at present, while the worst offenders would receive harsher treatment.
The bill also contains higher penalties for drivers using mobile phones. The worst drink-drivers will be forced to retake their driving test, while police will be given increased powers to detect uninsured motorists.
Alistair Darling, the Transport Secretary, said he was determined to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads.
"The number of road casualties is at its lowest for nearly 50 years but even so, much more needs to be done," he said.
"Ten people die on the roads every day and there are still some problem areas like drink-driving which need to be tackled. The measures in the bill will improve safety, making penalties tougher but fairer, cracking down on anti-social driving."
Speeding fines would range from £40 and two penalty points to £100 and six points. This compares with the current fixed penalties of £60 and three points for most offences.
The law would give the police powers to collect drink-drive evidence at the roadside and enable courts to force drivers banned for two years or more to retake their driving tests.
As expected, the maximum fine for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving would be doubled to £60, with three penalty points added to driving licences. The maximum penalty for careless driving would be doubled to £5,000 while the fine for carrying a child in the rear seat without a seatbelt is raised from £200 to £500 - the same as if they were in the front seat.
The police would be given greater powers to use motor insurance data to detect illegal drivers.
The Road Safety Bill also includes measures to ensure that foreign drivers who commit offences on British roads do not escape punishment, tackle vehicle licence fraud and set up pilot motorway rest areas to cut accidents caused by tiredness.
John Thurso, the Liberal Democrats? transport spokesman, attacked the plans to cut some speeding penalties. He said: "It is vital that we do not send the message that modest speeding, in towns in particular, is somehow acceptable."
A spokeswoman for Brake, a road safety group, said: "We strongly object to this ?road danger? proposal, which would further weaken ridiculously low penalties, masquerading as a road safety measure in the bill."
Paul Smith, the founder of the Safe Speed campaign, which opposes speed cameras, described the bill as a missed opportunity because it included no measures to help drivers improve or help the police identify risky driving.
The RAC Foundation welcomed the bill. Kevin Delaney, head of traffic and road safety, said: "The majority of motorists will welcome a crackdown on dangerous drivers, drink-drivers and uninsured drivers."
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