Half of motorists disagree with a Government proposal to increase fixed penalty notices from £60 to £90, according to research by the IAM.
Under the plans, the £30 increase will be used to provide a £30m cash boost to the fund for victims of crime and to support witnesses – but the vast majority of those questioned in the poll think the money should be spent on improving road safety.
Of the 1,129 respondents, 51% disagree with the current proposal, 35% agree, and 13% neither agree nor disagree.
When asked what they would think if the money was spent on improving road safety, as opposed to victim support, 80% were happier with this proposal. Furthermore, 80% of respondents think that in its proposed present form the scheme could reduce drivers’ trust in the purpose of enforcement measures.
When asked what the biggest deterrent to bad driving was, 68% identified ‘enforcement – the likelihood I will get caught’; 48% choose ‘the fear of the consequences in terms of causing death or injury to myself/my passengers or other road users in the result of an accident’; and 42% said ‘the severity of the punishment if I was caught’.
Simon Best, IAM chief executive, said: “While funding victims of crime is laudable, the real aim of fines for motoring offences should be deterrence. We want to stop people breaking the law. Having an income that relies on dangerous driving won’t help reduce crashes. There is a strong case for this money to be spent on road safety.”
For more information contact the IAM Press Office on 020 8996 9777.
“Hypothecation” 2000 – 2007. Speeders funded road safety and enforcement during which time there was a year on year reduction in KSI’s. 7 years is a long time in politics!
What goes round comes round!
Susan, Northamptonshire
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As with all questionnaires, knowing the specific questions is critical to understanding what the answers mean.
Superficially it seems worrying that more people seem to fear a penalty rather than causing injury, although this could reflect an accurate assessment that a penalty is far more likely.
It also doesn’t seem clear if the 35% who agree with the current proposal are agreeing with the increase (possibly assuming they will not get caught) or are agreeing that it should be spent on victims of crime and witness support (possibly as insurance in case they become a victim of crime themselves).
Dave Finney – Slough
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