| Speed Camera that Photographs the Driver. Drivers
will no longer be able to escape conviction by claiming that they do not
know who was driving at the time it passed a speed camera. A new
set-up which, in addition to photographing the number plate also takes a
clear photo of the driver will prevent such tactics.
Tailgating Drivers to be Targeted by New Cameras. A laser device
which can measure the distance between vehicles and read their number
plates could soon result in an automatic fixed penalty for offending
drivers. The device will initially be used on motorways and the size
of the fine will depend on how close the car is to the one in front. It is hoped that this will reduce the number of car accident personal injury claim settlements.
Penalty Points Shake-Up Proposed. A proposed massive shake-up in
the penalty points system could result in motorists receiving just two
points for a minor offence. This would mean that a driver only
marginally over the speed limit would receive just two points but a driver
seriously exceeding the limit would receive six. Currently drivers
need to commit four minor offences in three years but in future they would
have to commit six minor offences or two major offences in three years
before losing their licence.
Some Speed Limits Should be Raised. Some Senior Police Officers
have suggested that variable speed limits should be introduced on certain
roads at specific times of the day. It is hoped that this move will help to reduce the number of car accident personal injury claim settlements. It was suggested that
the current motorway speed limit of 70mph was out of date and could be
raised to 80mph "in certain conditions". They admitted that
sometimes it didn't make sense for the same limit to apply at 2 a.m. on a
Sunday morning on a deserted motorway as it did on a weekday rush
hour.
New Speed Gun Can Catch Drivers up to a Mile Away. A new type of
portable hand held speed camera is being tested in some parts of the
country. The Pro-Laser camera can record the speed of a car up to
2000 metres away. Under Department of Transport guidelines if a
mobile camera is not used twice in the same place in the space of two
months, warning signs need not be erected. The Pro-Laser camera will
be used on motorways and dual carriageways where there are long stretches
of clear road.
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