This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Careless drivers to learn their lesson
12/11/2003
As many as 3000 Scots a year who are charged with careless driving offences may be given the chance to go back to driving school rather than going to court and risking a fine, or even losing their licence, under a new scheme announced today.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson and Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC announced that BSM/RAC has been appointed to deliver a new National Driver Improvement Scheme in Scotland for three years from April 1, 2004. The scheme will be self-financing with offenders picking up the tab for the course from their own pockets.
The move will mean that Procurators Fiscal could decide to offer offenders the opportunity to undertake the driver improvement course as an alternative to prosecution.
Ms Jamieson said:
"Sadly, thousands of motorists are charged with careless driving offences in Scotland each year. They can currently expect to receive a fine of up to £500 or in some cases even lose their licence. But I don't think the current system offers enough of a deterrent for careless drivers to sort out their bad habits.
"Payment of a fine under the current system does nothing to ensure that drivers are any safer when they get back behind the wheel. Participation in the scheme offers a positive alternative to prosecution and sentence.
"So, from April next year, whether you are charged with careless driving in Stromness or Stranraer, the Procurator Fiscal may offer you the chance to go back to driving school. If you fail to attend the course you will face prosecution and a fine, penalty points, or even losing your licence altogether. Not a soft option but a smart option.
"The £129 course costs will come out of offenders' pockets and will enable them to retrain as careful and safe drivers and help us make Scotland's roads safer."
The Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC, said:
In some cases, the public interest is best served by giving an accused person a chance to address the behaviour at the root of his/her offending. The National Drivers Improvement Scheme will offer careless or inconsiderate road users a real opportunity to improve their standard of driving. With the potential to reduce the risk of reoffending, and increase road safety, the Scheme is a particularly welcome addition to the range of alternatives to prosecution available to Procurators Fiscal throughout Scotland.
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen also backed the scheme and said:
"By retraining drivers we can help to improve safety on our roads. Road safety is a top priority for the Executive and initiatives such as this are key to helping prevent road accidents.
"We are committed to reducing fatal and serious road accidents by 40 percent by 2010. This scheme will help contribute to achieving this target alongside a range of other measures to improve road safety."
Driver improvement schemes currently operate in England and Wales and there has been a pilot scheme in West Lothian. An evaluation report on the West Lothian pilot, published by the Executive in 2002 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 will be awarded to BSM/RAC for three years with an option to extend for a further two 12 month periods if required.
Six companies tendered for the contract. The tenders were evaluated by a panel that consisted of representatives from the Scottish Executive Justice Department, the Scottish Police Service and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
It will be for the Procurator Fiscal to determine in each case whether the offender should be offered the opportunity to undertake a driver improvement course as an alternative to prosecution.
The Procurator Fiscal will contact BSM/RAC with details of the individual to be referred. BSM/RAC will then contact the individual concerned to make an offer of a place on the next appropriate course.
Procurators Fiscal would normally expect to refer an individual to BSM/RAC within nine weeks of the incident leading to referral leaving six weeks for the offender to complete the course.