Book Description

Over 3,500 people are killed on our roads each year, with a further 33,000 seriously injured. The Committee's report focuses on the role of traffic law in making our roads and communities safer, and on the role of the police and other agencies in roads policing. Issues discussed include the adequacy of traffic offences and penalties; whether the police and other enforcement agencies have the right priorities; the needs of pedestrians and cyclists; policy options to deal with dangerous drivers before they cause harm; the impact of uninsured, unlicensed and banned drivers on traffic enforcement; and the effects of administrative changes (such as the transfer of network management duties from the police to the Highways Agency) on road safety and effective law enforcement. Findings of the Committee include the need for a radical overhaul of the way serious traffic offences are dealt with, by the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts system, as well as in public attitudes towards poor driving standards. The Committee praises the work undertaken by the Department for Transport to prioritise road safety issues, and calls on the Home Office to act urgently to establish an appropriate legal framework for dealing with road offenders and ensuring our roads are properly policed.