Speeding is too cheap right now. That is the problem. Jamie Hassall says it loud. He leads the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety and he doesn’t mince words. He wants AI cameras. Everywhere.
Here is the deal. We need more AI cameras across the UK to catch speeders. Who pays for them? You. Or at least the drivers who break the rules. Hassall suggests hiking fines for moving offences. Think £100 up to £500. Take that money. Buy technology.
Why? Because drivers think they can get away with it. It’s a feeling, sure. But it kills people. The latest cameras don’t just bl flash a flashbulb. They think. High-resolution images. Fast processors. They spot speed. They see if you are on your phone. They check your seatbelt.
They even check the databases. Real-time checks. Is the car taxed? Insured? The machine knows before the human driver passes it.
The stats are grim.
Around 200,0
200,0 200**
The Cost of Getting Caught
Five million penalty points last year. Most were for speeding. 200,00 0** people got tickets for going fast. Too many. Too little deterrence.
Hassall is blunt. Points? Okay. Useful maybe. But if you don’t get caught, what is the point? You have to increase the probability. The chance. If I feel safe speeding, I will speed. It’s basic human nature.
He points out a funny thing about fines. Drop litter. Fine. £150. No one dies. Sit in a speed awareness class? Helpful for some. But a second-time offender? That needs to hurt.
“Perceived likelihood of getting caught is a stronger detergent than the severity of consequence.”
James Gibson from Road Safety GB backs this up. Points are nice. Visibility is key. If I think you are watching, I drive slower. If I think the penalty is just a slap on the wrist, I ignore it.
So does it work?
A new survey from USwitch says drivers are skeptical. Less than half believe points stop bad driving. But here is the twist. Among those who got the points? 80 percent changed their behavior. They adapted. They slowed down. They paid attention.
Does that mean it works? Yes. But only if they actually get caught.
Government Shuffle
The government hasn’t raised the fines yet. No announcement. Not today. But they want to do something. Deaths on the roads plateaued around 2010. They didn’t go up much. They didn’t go down enough. Stagnant is bad when lives are lost.
They want to use points better. Add new offenses. Make the rules sharper. A spokesperson said most people are good. Responsible. Law-abiding. But they want the bad actors gone. Safety first.
What changes are coming?
Watch your belt. Seatbelt fines were £100 on the spot. Simple cash penalty. No points on your license. That is changing.
Now it hits your record. Three points. For not wearing a strap. Small detail? Maybe. But it adds up. You build a history. The cameras build the evidence. The fines pay the bills.
It is not a perfect system. Nothing is. But the money is there to build the eyes. Will you pay them?
Maybe you’ll drive slower.
Maybe not. 🚗
