This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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School for careless drivers
29/03/2004
From this week careless drivers could pay to go back to
driving school as an alternative to prosecution.
Launching the Scotland-wide driver improvement scheme,
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson described the move as a
smart alternative to prosecution that would help make
Scotland's roads safer.
BSM/RAC has been appointed to deliver the new scheme for
three years from 1st April 2004. The scheme will be
self-financing with offenders picking up the tab for the
course from their own pockets.
Ms Jamieson said:
"As many as 3000 Scots are charged with careless driving
offences each year. Up until now these motorists could
face a fine of up to £500 or in some cases lose their
licence. That system didn't address drivers' bad habits and
it didn't make our roads safer places for drivers,
passengers and pedestrians.
"Some cases will be more serious than others and getting
the driver off the road will be the right option. However,
from tomorrow, Procurators Fiscal have a new option in the
fight against bad driving. They can decide to offer
offenders the opportunity to undertake a driver improvement
course. Drivers will have to pay the £129 course costs from
their own pockets, and if they fail to attend will face
prosecution. That could result in a fine, penalty points,
or even losing their licence altogether.
"This is an effective way to retrain careless drivers as
careful and safe drivers and help make Scotland's roads
safer."
The Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC, welcomed the
introduction of the scheme. He said:
"Careless driving can cost lives and a fine does not
make a careless driver any safer.
"The Driver Improvement Scheme will give Procurators
Fiscal the opportunity to identify those who can change and
help them to address their bad habits and reduce their risk
of re-offending.
"I believe this will make a real difference in helping
us to improve road safety across Scotland and the Crown
Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is committed to making
the Driver Improvement Scheme work."
Ian Latimer, Chief Constable, Northern Constabulary
and Chair of ACPOS Road Policing Standing Committee
said:
"This is another positive step towards reducing the
number of people killed and injured on our roads each
year.
"In addition to enforcement, we are very supportive of
education and encouragement as a means of delivering safer
roads in our communities.
"Very often, drivers are charged with careless driving
because their skills and abilities are not as good as they
think they are. Where a person has been charged with
careless driving, police officers report the matter to the
Procurator Fiscal outlining the circumstances of the
incident.
"By considering the individual cases, particularly those
involving collisions, the Procurator Fiscal is in a
position to identify those who would benefit from a course
of instruction. ACPOS believes that participation in the
scheme will help these drivers make a massive improvement
in their standard of driving."
An evaluation of a pilot scheme in West Lothian
(published by the Executive
www.scotland.gov.uk/publications)
found that it was an effective way of addressing behaviour
amongst drivers charged with careless and inconsiderate
driving offences (under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act
1988).
The scheme will start on 1 April 2004. It will be
self-financing, and a standard fee of £129 will be set
across Scotland payable by each individual referred to the
course.
Following a tendering exercise the initial contract was
awarded to BSM/RAC for three years with an option to extend
for a further two 12 month periods.
Six companies tendered for the contract. The tenders
were evaluated by a panel that consisted of representatives
from the Scottish Executive Justice Department, the
Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS)
and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
It will be for Procurators Fiscal to determine in each
case whether an offender should be offered the opportunity
to undertake a driver improvement course as an alternative
to prosecution. Accused whose driving has resulted in
fatality or the serious injury of any person will not be
considered for diversion to the scheme.
Driver Improvement schemes already operate in a number
of areas in England and Wales.