SOLIHULL, UK November 30, 2008
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Driving law solicitors Keepmedriving have expressed concern that government proposals to increase penalties for speeding and other driving offences could create a system where more reliance is placed on police powers than on court involvement. They warn that many may see new powers to impose up to 6 points on an individual's driving licence and increase the levels of fines without the need for court intervention, as simply another way to increase revenues and save costs.
The temptation simply to accept a fixed penalty notice instead of contesting it in the courts will be greater once fixed penalties are extended to those offences which currently can only be dealt with by way of court summons. Drivers unable to afford the time or the money to contest matters in court may therefore be disadvantaged and could be banned from driving if they commit two offences of driving over the speed limit by a significant margin where a more favourable outcome could be available in the courts.
Commenting on these proposals, driving law expert Jonathan Wright, a solicitor with Richard Nelson Solicitors who operate the web-based Keepmedriving service, said:
"These proposals need to be thought through very carefully. It is not just about increasing penalties to deter more drivers from exceeding the existing speed limits. The Government needs to think about the social consequences and do more to change attitudes and educate, not just penalise. Legislation that is brought into force without the appropriate consultation can in the long run cost the tax payer more than it saves."
The plans, which follow closely on the heels of plans to introduce new types of speed cameras, will ultimately place more power in the hands of the police. This could potentially force drivers to accept penalties based on evidence that may not have stood up to judicial scrutiny, rule and procedure.
Jonathan Wright said:
"People lead busy lives and it is not uncommon under the present system for people to accept a fixed penalty notice rather than contest or challenge the legality of it simply because they do not have enough time, especially if it is their first offence. Under the new proposals, the number of people who will be given the chance to be dealt with administratively will increase and there will inevitably be more people who take this option out of convenience. The consequences of any speeding offence and resulting points on a driver's licence should never be under-estimated and the fact that a larger range of speeding offences could be dealt with administratively by the police means that it is vital that professional advice is obtained before any fixed fee penalty is accepted."
About Richard Nelson Solicitors
Keepmedriving.com and keepmedriving.co.uk is a comprehensive web site containing a wide range of driving law information and guidance, not only for the general public but also for those with a commercial involvement in driving and road traffic law .
To assist drivers in understanding the new provisions, Keepmedriving has produced a summary of the proposals which can be found on its web site at http://www.keepmedriving.com .
The Keepmedriving web site provided by Richard Nelson Solicitors whose principal office is at Priory Court, 1 Derby Road, Nottingham NG9 2TA. The firm also has offices in London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bristol and client facilities in Leeds and Manchester.
In addition to driving law matters, Richard Nelson Solicitors deal with a range of criminal and business related matters including fraud, money laundering, confiscation proceedings, regulatory and disciplinary matters, employment (both employer and employee) and matters involving companies and directors.
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