May 2008

Proposed 20mph limit will be ignored by “motoring underclass”

The government’s proposals to cut the speed limit of urban streets to 20mph are a step in the right direction – but still won’t stop the majority of drivers who break road laws.

That’s the reaction of Andrew McGavin, the founder of BetterDrivingPlease.com. It’s a website set up for anyone to report bad driving they see on roads.

BetterDrivingPlease has received 12,500 reports so far. Andrew says new laws such as this are good only if they are capable of being actively policed.

He said: “There is an underclass of motorists who genuinely don’t fear being caught breaking traffic laws.

“They know there aren’t enough traffic police to catch them speeding, driving dangerously or using a handheld mobile. They’re prepared to risk driving without insurance. And they don’t fear cameras because they can swap or alter their number plates.”

“Setting a new limit of 20mph will only slow down law abiding drivers. The real answer is to quadruple efforts to catch and prosecute the persistent offenders, such as some of those reported to BetterDrivingPlease.com”.

Andrew has firsthand evidence what little effect the introduction of new road laws has had.

15 months ago the law for using a handheld mobile phone changed (27th February 2007), increasing the penalty for being caught to £60 and three points.

Yet since then reports of drivers flouting the law received by BetterDrivingPlease.com have increased, and currently stand at 2,700.

Andrew added: “The government needs to look at what is actually happening on our roads and revamp their overall enforcement policy, rather than introduce new laws which will just be ignored.” “The law is becoming law for the law-abiding, to be ignored by the ‘motoring underclass’.

More than 1.5 million people have visited BetterDrivingPlease.com – reporting or searching through the 12,500 reports made since the site was set up in 2006.

Reporters note the number plate of the offending vehicle, what they did and where.

ENDS

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

• For any further information, quotes or interviews, a BetterDrivingPlease.com spokesman is available. Please email press@publicityheaven.com or call Paul Green on 08452 303049
• To find specific reports of bad driving, go to www.BetterDrivingPlease.com and enter the area in the Keyword search box
• You are welcome to publish any information you find on the website
• A factfile, logo, screenshots and other press resources are available online at http://www.betterdrivingplease.com/press.asp