New AA Motoring Trust research supports government plans to reconsider proposals to graduate the level of penalty points and fines for speeding.
A 2004 survey found 74 per cent of motorists in favour of graduated penalties. However, a two-part 2005 poll reveals how much this view was based on drivers poor understanding of how a pedestrians chances of survival can be affected by marginally faster vehicle speeds.
In part one of the poll, 78 per cent of respondents said it would be acceptable if driving between 35mph and 39mph on a 30mph road were to incur two, instead of three, penalty points.
However, acceptability for lower penalties fell 23 points to 55 per cent in part two, when the same question followed a preamble explaining that just a few miles per hour could be the difference between life and death for a pedestrian. The results are summarised below:
Motorists who find graduated penalties acceptable
2004 74 per cent
2005 (without explanation) 78 per cent
2006 (speed/injury link explained) 55 per cent
Motorists who find graduated penalties unacceptable
2004 23 per cent
2005 (without explanation) 22 per cent
2005 (speed/injury link explained) 42 per cent
Andrew Howard, Head of Road Safety at the AA Trust says, "A major opinion shift took place once people understood how even marginal increases in speed have potential for inflicting much more severe injuries on pedestrians. Awareness of this critical link has yet to hit home.
"The proposals for lower graduated penalties for 30mph limits need to be reconsidered in the light of this research. However, on higher speed roads, graduating penalties upwards and downwards to match the seriousness of the speeding offence is desirable, and could help to maintain public support for speed limits and their enforcement."
Notes to editors
The survey
During the summer of 2005, NOP conducted a poll over two weekends
Over the first weekend, respondents were asked the same question as in 2004:
It is now proposed that for lesser speeding offences (for example, driving at 35 to 39mph in an area with a 30mph speed limit) drivers will have two points put on their licence instead of three. How acceptable do you think this is?
Over the second weekend, a preamble was added:
Statistics show that if a pedestrian is hit by a car at 30mph, there is about a 20 per cent chance of being killed, but if the car is travelling at 40 there is 90 per cent chance of being killed
The Road Safety Bill
The Bill includes provisions to vary fixed penalties for speeding
A fixed penalty currently has to be for three points. Drivers can already receive between three and six points for speeding, but only from a court
Under the governments original example, driving at up to 39mph in a 30 limit would incur two penalty points, while exceeding the posted speed limit by a large amount could incur up to six points
The government has said that it will not introduce graduated penalties without full consultation, followed by an affirmative resolution in Parliament
Speed and likely injury
- At 30mph, one in five pedestrians is likely to be killed when struck by a car
- At 40mph, nine in 10 pedestrians are likely to be killed
