Fixed penalty fines for most motoring offences including using a hand-held phone will increase significantly on Friday 16thAugust and, simultaneously, the Government is also introducing fines for some careless driving offences such as tailgating.
In response, ACFO director Julie Jenner said: ‘Harsher penalties for unsafe driving are to be welcomed. However, ACFO is concerned as to the practical aspects of enforcement.
‘Many drivers continue to use hand-held mobile phones, for example, in the knowledge that the likelihood of them being caught by the police is minimal.’
Jenner continued: ‘In my job I travel many thousands of miles a year on motorways and major roads across the country. I see drivers committing a wide range of offences such as those identified by the Government – hand-held mobile phone use, middle lane hogging and the non wearing of a seat belt – but I rarely see any traffic police on patrol.
‘Tougher penalties are fine in theory, but without a clearly visible police presence on the roads it is difficult to believe that offenders will be caught.
‘The vast majority of drivers are law-abiding. However, there are a hard core of drivers that continue to flout the law. Without more traffic patrols on the roads ACFO is concerned that those drivers will continue to go unpunished.’
Ms Jenner concluded: ‘With the public sector, including the police, facing further budget restraints, ACFO is concerned that existing patrols maybe cut further. The Government, in tandem with seeking to improve road safety through tougher fines, must ensure there are the police resources available to increase road traffic patrols.’
