AT THE START OLYMPIC BOOM STALLS - TAXI Newspaper

10 TAXI |12 JUNE 2012 www.ltda.co.uk
NEWS
Drivers get on their bikes
Transport
Increasing numbers of motorists are
ditching their vehicles and traveling
on foot or by bicycle, according to
the RAC’s annual report.
It reveals that spiralling fuel costs
are to blame for the change and that
30% of drivers want more money
spent on safety campaigns and
improvements.
The proportion of young motorists
aged 17 to 24 who admit getting
behind the wheel after taking
drugs has nearly doubled
from 5% to 9% in the last 12
months, the group’s 24th
annual report shows.
At least 13% of survey
respondents in that age
group either drove a
car when they were
under the influence
of drugs, or were
a passenger in
one when the
driver had.
Right: Ex-Formula 1
driver Eddie Irvine
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Smartphone use at the wheel and
checking social networks and
emailing, has soared by 50%
amongst 25-44-year-olds.
In his foreword to the report,
ex-Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine
said the roads have changed
significantly in recent years and
many people “ignore the fundamental
principles of driving.”
He said: “With more and more cars
on the road, safety is now
paramount in the minds of
drivers. It’s clear in this year’s
report that what concerns
drivers the most is the
behaviour of their fellow
motorists, and especially the
potential for dangerous
driving that puts them
at risk.
“You only have to
venture out onto the
roads for a brief period
to see that mobile
phone usage is all too
common behind the
wheel. The rise of
smartphones, with the
ability to email, use
Smart phone use at the wheel up 50%
apps and check social media is
contributing heavily to that.
“While it’s far harder to spot someone
driving under the influence of drugs,
that doesn’t mean the issue can be
ignored. A doubling of the number of
the new generation of motorists drugdriving
is highly alarming – and yet
still we don’t have a viable at the
roadside testing procedure in place
for this.”
The RAC wants government,
which has slashed spending on
safety campaigns, to highlight the
dangers of driving while under the
influence of drugs or using a mobile
phone at the wheel.
Motorists themselves say they
are more concerned about the
behaviour of other drivers
than ever.
Almost half of those surveyed
admitted feeling less safe on the
roads now than in the past.
Just under two thirds of drivers
felt that there was a shortage of
police officers enforcing traffic laws.
Many motorists are cutting out
non-essential journeys by car to save
on fuel costs in the face of tough
economic conditions.
RAC technical director David
Bizley said: “Government cuts have
meant an extremely large drop in
spending on road safety campaigns in
the past two years, but the 2012
Report highlights the damaging effect
this is having.
“The growth of the new breed of
motoring offences, like drug-driving
and social networking behind the wheel,
is highly concerning. RAC urges
Government to reintroduce high
profile campaigns on these issues as
soon as possible.”
Referring to the increase in drugdriving
and motorists using handheld
mobile phones at the wheel, he
said: “These offences don’t yet have
the same social taboo that drinkdriving
now holds, which thanks to
years of concerted campaigns has
continued to decrease as a problem.
“We welcome recent announcements
that Government will tighten
enforcement around drug-driving, but
the planned changes focus too much on
penalties rather than prevention.
Government funding should be directed
to educating people through road safety
campaigns to deter them from driving
dangerously and putting lives at risk.”
FACTS…
£2.34m
Safety campaign spending
down from £18.6m in 2009/10
to £2.34m in 2010/11
9%
44% of
motorists
say they feel
less safe
than ever
22%
Around 9% of
17-24 yearolds
drive
after taking
drugs
44%
Only 22%
say that
they feel
safer
Image: Konstantin Sutyagin / Shutterstock.com