Chief Constable Anthony Bangham has called for the 10 per cent
buffer on speed limits to be scrapped and for an increase in the
use of fines and penalty points for those caught.
Commenting on the news, Joshua Harris, Director of
Campaigns at road safety charity Brake,
said: “Speed limits are exactly that, limits, set
at the top speed that it is safe to drive on any particular road.
Drivers who go beyond these limits are behaving recklessly and
endangering the lives of themselves and others. Brake
wholeheartedly supports Chief Constable Anthony Bangham’s view
that a zero-tolerance approach to speeding is required, sending a
clear signal that breaking the law is not acceptable.
“Speeding penalties must prove an effective deterrent and Brake
supports Chief Constable Bangham’s call for the increased use of
fines and penalty points. Public perception over the
acceptability of speeding needs to change and this can only
happen with clarity in the law and penalties which truly deter
offending.
“The speed of a vehicle is the key factor determining the
severity of injury caused in any road crash; faster speeds mean
greater stopping distances and more forceful impacts [1]. In
2016, there were five deaths a day on our roads on average [2],
this is a truly shocking figure and any intervention which helps
put an end to these needless tragedies should be welcomed."
[ENDS]
Notes to editors
[1] Brake fact page on ‘Speed, speed limits and
stopping distances’
[2] Reported road casualties
in Great Britain: 2016 annual report, Department for
Transport
