Are the police failing law-abiding drivers?

How many times have you spotted an additional motorist chatting or texting on a hand-held mobile telephone even though at the wheel?

What about tailgating, hogging the middle lane of the motorway, or merely ignoring the speed limit?

They are all illegal acts but, according to the most current RAC Report on Motoring, couple of of us actually count on the lawbreakers to be prosecuted or even caught since of a lack of police to enforce the regulations.

So I guess that signifies I’ll have to content myself with shaking my head and muttering dark oaths when I witness such transgressions. And their name is legion, especially on the school run.

Road rage

Properly over half of motorists (60%) believe there aren’t sufficient police officers on the roads.

What’s a lot more, 40% reckon any individual committing an offence, such as aggressive driving, will more than probably escape conviction. No wonder law-abiding motorists are frustrated.

David Bizley, RAC technical director, says: “Motorists are tired of consistently seeing other drivers breaking the law and obtaining away with it, so it is hardly surprising that they want to see a higher police presence on our roads to enforce motoring legislation much more efficiently, which would also act as a genuine deterrent.”

Wise moves

Mobile phones are a specific bugbear: the investigation located that 3 quarters (75%) of motorists regularly spot other drivers speaking on mobile phones.

A bit odd then that only 8% of drivers admit to utilizing a hand-held telephone on most journeys.

Still, there’s no doubting the developing concern about the perceived lack of comeuppance for the lawbreakers and the risk they pose to accountable drivers.

It is also ironic, given a recent government crackdown on careless driving.

Ton of problems

Last summer, the police were provided the power to concern on-the-spot fines of £100, plus 3 penalty points, to drivers who commit careless driving offences such as tailgating or hogging the middle lane.

The fixed penalty for most other offences, like employing a mobile phone at the wheel, also went up from £60 to £100.

Candid camera

Of course, it is one particular issue giving the police further powers, it’s quite yet another giving the police extra resources. But at least there’s the trusty camera to monitor the road menace.

In reality, the only offences that motorists believe are efficiently enforced are targeted traffic lights and speeding violations, exactly where you are far more most likely to be caught by a camera than a police officer.

In the survey, half the motorists with speeding points have been trapped by a speed camera, but only a quarter (24%) by a police officer.

Rapidly and loose

Speeding is absolutely the nation’s weak spot, with 40% of motorists admitting to breaking the limit on country, urban and 20mph roads.

Drivers find it even tougher to stick to the speed limit on motorways, where 67% admit to driving more quickly than the law permits, which could perhaps clarify why 70% of drivers think the speed limit on motorways ought to be raised to 80mph or above.

Could our need for speed have something to do with the truth that fixed speed cameras are not used to enforce 70mph on motorways?

What ever the explanation, it’s clearly 1 law much more motorists are ready to break – at least whilst there’s tiny hope of obtaining caught.

Are the police failing law-abiding drivers?