Are the police failing law-abiding drivers?

How a lot of times have you spotted one more motorist chatting or texting on a hand-held mobile phone although at the wheel?

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

They are all illegal acts but, according to the newest RAC Report on Motoring, handful of of us actually count on the lawbreakers to be prosecuted or even caught due to the fact of a lack of police to enforce the regulations.

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

Road rage

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

What’s more, 40% reckon anybody committing an offence, such as aggressive driving, will far more than likely escape conviction. No wonder law-abiding motorists are frustrated.

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

Sensible moves

Mobile phones are a distinct bugbear: the study found that 3 quarters (75%) of motorists frequently spot other drivers speaking on mobile phones.

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

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

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

Ton of trouble

Last summer time, the police had been given the energy to situation 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, which includes employing a mobile telephone at the wheel, also went up from £60 to £100.

Candid camera

Of course, it’s 1 issue giving the police additional powers, it’s quite an additional providing the police added sources. But at least there’s the trusty camera to monitor the road menace.

In fact, the only offences that motorists believe are successfully enforced are visitors lights and speeding violations, exactly where you are much more probably 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.

Quick and loose

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

Drivers uncover it even harder to stick to the speed limit on motorways, exactly where 67% admit to driving more quickly than the law permits, which could probably clarify why 70% of drivers feel the speed limit on motorways must be raised to 80mph or above.

Could our require for speed have something to do with the reality that fixed speed cameras are not utilised to enforce 70mph on motorways?

Whatever the reason, it’s obviously 1 law a lot more motorists are ready to break – at least while there’s small hope of acquiring caught.

Are the police failing law-abiding drivers?