Serious offenders would choose ban over retraining course

12.27 | 28 September 2010 | | 4 comments

Drivers would rather take points on their license or a ban than attend a course aimed at motorists convicted of serious offences, according to research commissioned by the DfT (Telegraph).

The course was designed to offer fresh training to motorists convicted of a number of offences including careless driving, speeding, failing to comply with traffic lights, or going the wrong way down a one way street.

In return for participating in the course motorists would have the length of their ban shortened, or the number of points put on their license reduced.

But a report entitled ‘Offenders and Post Court Disposal Courses’ is pessimistic about whether the course would work.

Robert Gifford, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), said: “Serious traffic offenders think that they are already good drivers and that being caught was just bad luck.

“They need to be helped to develop an understanding that crashes can occur anywhere and at any time. The actions that we take can contribute to the likelihood of such events. Any new courses will need to focus on culture change.”

Click here to read the full Telegraph report.

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    I’ve spoken to road users who have completed theory only courses and they have said they were excellent. Some of them have asked about the possibility of getting their children, who hold drivers licences, on one of the courses, even though they have not committed any offence. I guess it depends who you talk to and where they did the course.


    Mark, Wiltshire
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    I’ve been providing the practical element of speed awareness courses on Merseyside for nearly two and half years. Without exception the candidates on these courses say they have learnt and benefited from them and enjoyed having a “refresher”. There appears to be only a very small amount of recidivism. I have spoken to people who have been on theory only courses in other parts of the country and, unfortunately, they say they have been bored with them, are subsequently anti the whole thing and it has therefore been counter productive. Clearly, driving is a practical skill and, therefore, we have to get the candidates out on the road to demonstrate what is required and give them the opportunity to practice with a qualified observer.


    David Midmer ADI, Wirral
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    In the case of more serious offences ban them, then make satisfactory completion of the course compulsory before they get their licence back.


    Mark, Wiltshire
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    Unfortunately there are a lot of them out there. On a recent motorcycle run on the A59 and A65 Yorkshire I had to avoid one biker overtaking on double yellows on a left hand blind bend and one car on an unclassified who sped round a sharp blind left hander towards me on wrong side of road. Nearly took me off. He was doing an estimated 50 plus by my mates behind me as he sped past them.

    The sooner we get these morons of the road the better. I suggest a perhaps short sharp disqualification followed by training and test to get licence back


    Bob Craven, Lancs
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