Drivers want training not fines, says IAM poll

27 May 2011

Only 15 per cent of drivers think that fixed penalty notices are the most effective way to tackle careless driving, according to a poll of 1900 people by road safety charity the IAM.

Forty per cent of people think that careless drivers should take compulsory driver training, while 33 per cent think it should be tackled with verbal advice from a police officer. Ninety per cent of drivers think that there should be a choice between paying for driver improvement training and penalty points.

Seventy-seven per cent of respondents think that serious offenders should have their vehicles seized and 59 per cent that all disqualified drivers should be made to retake their driving test.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “This poll shows broad support for the government’s road safety strategy, but that fixed penalty notices are not popular.  The vast majority of crashes are caused by driver error, they are not deliberate - fining drivers is punitive and does not improve driving skills. Driver quality is the key issue in improving road safety. This poll recognises that driving is a skill that needs refreshing and updating. More courses to address poor driving will make our roads safer.”

IAM Drive & Survive’s head of training Simon Elstow said: “One in three accidents involve people who are driving for work. The commercial driving sector has a huge part to play in making our roads safer. 

“The poll shows that private motorists and professional drivers alike are in favour or targeting the most dangerous group of drivers. But enforcement is critical.  With cuts to police budgets, and the subsequent fall in the numbers of traffic police, this essential enforcement will be a challenge.”
 

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

1. IAM is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving, motorcycle riding and cycling.  The commercial division of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training company IAM Drive & Survive.  The IAM has more than 100,000 members in the UK and Ireland. It is best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving, motorcycling and cycling courses.  Its policy and research division offers advice and expertise on road safety.

ENDS ALL

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