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| On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving | On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Police will get powers to fine careless drivers on the spot, rather than taking them to court, as part of a government strategy to make Britain's roads safer. | Police will get powers to fine careless drivers on the spot, rather than taking them to court, as part of a government strategy to make Britain's roads safer. |
| Ministers say motorists who tail-gate, undertake or cut others up often go unpunished and that introducing instant penalties would be more efficient. | Ministers say motorists who tail-gate, undertake or cut others up often go unpunished and that introducing instant penalties would be more efficient. |
| Offenders would get a fine of at least £80 and three points on their licence. | Offenders would get a fine of at least £80 and three points on their licence. |
| Critics say the approach - likely to be introduced in 2012 - is too simplistic as careless driving is not clear cut. | Critics say the approach - likely to be introduced in 2012 - is too simplistic as careless driving is not clear cut. |
| Drug crackdown | Drug crackdown |
| Currently motorists who have driven in a careless manner have to be prosecuted through the courts. | Currently motorists who have driven in a careless manner have to be prosecuted through the courts. |
| Transport Secretary Philip Hammond will give a written statement to MPs on Wednesday explaining the new strategy for England, Scotland and Wales. | Transport Secretary Philip Hammond will give a written statement to MPs on Wednesday explaining the new strategy for England, Scotland and Wales. |
| The Department for Transport (DfT) said it would also include a crackdown on drug-driving and the closing of loopholes that allow people to escape drink-driving charges. | The Department for Transport (DfT) said it would also include a crackdown on drug-driving and the closing of loopholes that allow people to escape drink-driving charges. |
| Disqualified drivers would have to undergo retraining, and possibly take another test, before they got their licence back. | Disqualified drivers would have to undergo retraining, and possibly take another test, before they got their licence back. |
| Courts would be encouraged to make more use of their powers to seize vehicles for the most serious offences. | Courts would be encouraged to make more use of their powers to seize vehicles for the most serious offences. |
| Ministers insist the new approach will try to target genuinely reckless motorists rather than those who normally follow the rules but make an inadvertent mistake. | Ministers insist the new approach will try to target genuinely reckless motorists rather than those who normally follow the rules but make an inadvertent mistake. |
| There will be support for new drivers who need to hone their driving skills, and wider range of retraining and education courses for cases of less-serious offences. | There will be support for new drivers who need to hone their driving skills, and wider range of retraining and education courses for cases of less-serious offences. |
| 'Greatest danger' | 'Greatest danger' |
| A DfT spokesman said: "The strategy will focus on cracking down on the really reckless drivers through more efficient enforcement. | A DfT spokesman said: "The strategy will focus on cracking down on the really reckless drivers through more efficient enforcement. |
| "By giving the police the tools to deal with those who present the greatest danger to others we can make our roads even safer. | "By giving the police the tools to deal with those who present the greatest danger to others we can make our roads even safer. |
| "While seeking to do everything possible to tackle the most dangerous drivers, the strategy will also help the responsible majority to improve their driving. | "While seeking to do everything possible to tackle the most dangerous drivers, the strategy will also help the responsible majority to improve their driving. |
| "This is the government's twin approach to improving road safety." | "This is the government's twin approach to improving road safety." |
| But the Institute of Advanced Motorists said on-the-spot fines were not necessarily the right approach for careless driving because, unlike speeding, cases were often not clear cut. | But the Institute of Advanced Motorists said on-the-spot fines were not necessarily the right approach for careless driving because, unlike speeding, cases were often not clear cut. |
| It also said their introduction could make police reluctant to enter into lengthy prosecutions even in more serious cases. | It also said their introduction could make police reluctant to enter into lengthy prosecutions even in more serious cases. |