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RAC 2007 Report on Motoring calls for lower drink drive alcohol level and installation of alcolocks
British drivers call for tougher road safety laws.
British motorists (98%) claim to be safe drivers, yet a fifth feel unsafe on the nation's roads. With over half (56%) believing that Britain's roads are less safe than they used to be, motorists are calling on the Government to introduce stronger safety initiatives in the battle to reduce road deaths and injuries.
Over three quarters (78%) of motorists told researchers for RAC's 2007 Report on Motoring that they want the Government to reduce road deaths by at least 10%, and six out of 10 (59%) want to see a 50% reduction.
Harsh measures welcomed by the 2,000 drivers surveyed for this year's RAC Report on Motoring include:
- Public naming and shaming of drink drivers 73%
- Increasing random breath testing of drivers stopped by police 71%
- Reducing drink drive limit to 50mg per 100 ml of blood 69%
- Installing ‘alco-locks' 67%
- Introducing speed cameras that photograph the driver 59%
And although nearly a third (29%) of drivers do not believe they would pass their test if they were to take it tomorrow, the majority of motorists still believe it's the actions of others that make the nation's roads unsafe. Over three quarters (76%) of drivers believe that other motorists driving under the influence of illegal drugs is dangerous to personal safety, 74% blame other motorists' drink driving and 62% blame other drivers' lack of attention when driving.
In support of motorists' concerns, RAC is today meeting with MPs and policymakers to campaign for the introduction of clear and specific goals focused on drink-driving, drugs-driving, speeding, driving without legal documentation and long-term bans for causing death or serious injury. RAC also wants national target figures to be unpacked into specific localised targets that reflect regionalised concerns and priorities.
Debbie Hewitt, managing director, RAC, explains: "It is unacceptable that over a quarter of a million people are killed or injured on our roads each year. As the ‘voice' of the British motorist this Report on Motoring shows that the time has clearly come for the Government to get tough on making our roads safer.
"We recognise that road safety issues are not consistent across the country. This is why we are calling for the introduction of local targets to reduce overall road deaths and injuries at a national level."
Robert Gifford, executive director, Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety adds: "The RAC Report on Motoring makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the views of the motoring public. I welcome RAC's efforts to keep road safety at the top of the public and policymakers' agendas. However, we all have a role to play - road deaths and injuries can only be significantly reduced through a collaborative approach between Government, local authorities, and road users themselves."
Further information from www.racnews.co.uk
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