Motorists believe the police should be given more resources to enforce road traffic law – in particular against drivers using their mobile phone at the wheel – according to a leading road safety organisation.
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) surveyed 2,703 people on the subject of road traffic policing, with almost half calling for an increase in the number of police officers in marked vehicles to enforce traffic laws despite the continuing Government cuts to policing budgets. Tackling mobile phone use at the wheel should be a top priority according to 72 per cent of respondents, while 65 per cent say more should be done to combat drink and drug-driving, and 64 per cent saying more traffic police on major urban roads would reduce the number of casualties from speeding related accidents.
Forty-five per cent of respondents felt the police should be given greater powers to target and breath test drivers in areas near pubs and clubs, and a similar number said consideration ought to be given to reducing the legal drink drive limit from 80mg to 50mg in line with the legislation introduced in Scotland last December.
IAM Chief Executive Sarah Sillars, said: “The government cannot afford to be complacent about road safety and a lot more needs to be done to address major road offences through the enforcement of existing legislation and full use of police powers. The IAM supports an increase in the number of high profile road policing officers and a zero tolerance approach to the enforcement of traffic laws.”
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