News In Focus
21 November 2008
Speeding drivers face new crackdown
Speeding drivers could face a totting-up ban after only two offences in serious cases, under proposals put out for consultation by the UK Government yesterday.
The Government's consultation paper on road safety suggests as options that those caught at more than 15 or 20 mph over the limit in 20 and 30 mph zones would have six penalty points added to their licence, rather than three. For higher limits the increased penalty would apply at 20 mph above the legal maximum, though at 70 mph an option is proposed of a 95 mph rather than 90 mph threshold. Twelve penalty points on a licence trigger a totting-up ban.
The document also suggests creating formal drug-drive limits in a bid to make prosecutions easier to achieve. However ministers want further evidence of the likely safety benefits before they change the legal alcohol.
Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson called for the drink limit to be reduced from 80 to 50 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, in line with European countries, as did the British Medical Association.
Last year 2,946 people were killed and 30,000 seriously injured on Britain's roads.