Over 300 drivers handed on-the-spot fines
Posted: August 24, 2015
Posted in: Car Accidents Road Traffic Accidents
Since police were presented with new powers to hand out on-the-spot fines for careless driving two years ago, over 300 drivers have been fined in the Avon and Somerset region. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) gathered the figures through a Freedom of Information request, set to correspond with Injury Prevention Day, The non-profit organisation is currently campaigning to ban tailgating.
August 2013 saw fixed fines of £100 being introduced for motoring offences such as hogging the middle lane and tailgating. Since this change was put in place, a total of 339 drivers have been handed on-the-spot fines by Avon and Somerset police.
“serious safety issue”
APIL’s president Jonathan Wheeler described tailgating as a “serious safety issue [that] leads to unnecessary crashes and injuries”. APIL uncovered in a recent poll that more than half of drivers (56%) did not know what the typical stopping distance was when travelling at 30mph in 23m including thinking time, as stated in the Highway Code. The distance is equal to six car lengths.
Chief constable Suzette Davenport said that not only is tailgating dangerous for the driver responsible, but it is dangerous for everyone on the road. She said that the offence was now punishable, at the very least, by a £100 fine and three points on your licence.
PC Davenport said: “Drivers who flout the law put themselves and those around them at risk and we are determined to stop them doing so.”
If you have suffered an injury on the road, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us.
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