SPEED SCHOOL: A NEW LAW LETS YOU SWAP THAT ￡60 PLUS THREE POINTS SPEEDING FINE FOR A SHORT, SHARP SAFETY COURSE. DC'S RESIDENT BAD BOY, SIMON HACKER KNOWS A GOOD SWAP WHEN HE SEES ONE

摘要

Britain's hate-hate relationship with the seemingly endless proliferation of speed cameras could soon be history. Pilot 'Speed Awareness' courses are currently being established across the UK as a new educational alternative to the standard punishment. The next time one of those grim envelopes land on your doormat, if you're lucky there just may be a new box to tick... Some safety hard-liners however, have strongly criticised the new incentive, claiming that it is just a soft option, arguing that it's not enough to try to shame people into slowing down, But that's actually one of the main aims of this initiative and early results so far seem to suggest that it's working as the figures look very good. While only 8% of drivers who have attended the police-designed classes have so far re-offended, among drivers punished the traditional way, the re-offence rate over the same period was a staggering 25%, These very positive results couldn't come at a better time either, as politically, it may help to stem to the growing suspicion among motorists that the traditional fine plus penalty points system is all about milking motorists for Treasury coffers - and a hopeless tool for improving road safety.