FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1981
EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON DANGEROUS DRIVERS
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THE ROADS MAY BE MADE SOMEWHAT SAFER IN FUTURE IF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPROVES PROPOSALS AIMED AT CRACKING DOWN ON DANGEROUS DRIVERS.
UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING-OFFENCE POINTS) BILL 1981, PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY, BAD DRIVERS RISK LOS ING THE IR LICENCE AFTER HAVING COMMITTED MORE THAN ONE SERIOUS OFFENCE.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN COMMENTED THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM A DEMERIT POINTS SCHEME PROPOSED SOME YEARS AGO.
*THE PREVIOUS EXERCISE INVOLVED MORE THAN 60 OFFENCES, INCLUDING SOME OF A TECHNICAL NATURE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID. IT IS NOW PROPOSED THAT PENALTY POINTS BE IMPOSED IN THE CASE OF JUST FIVE OFFENCES, ONES WHICH HAVE A DIRECT BEARING ON ROAD SAFETY.+
+THE NEW SCHEME IS A IMED NOT AT ANY PARTICULAR CLASS OF DRIVER, BUT SIMPLY DRIVERS WHO PERSISTENTLY USE THE ROADS IN AN UNSAFE MANNER AND ENDANGER HUMAN LIFE, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED.
+THE AIM IS NOT TO DISQUALIFY PEOPLE FOR ITS OWN SAKE BUT RATHER TO PERSUADE PEOPLE NOT TO COMMIT THE OFFENCES.+
PENALTY POINTS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED AS FOLLOWS:
OFFENCE
POINTS
DANGEROUS DRIVING
DANGEROUS DRIVING CAUSING DEATH
99
10
10
DANGEROUS DRIVING CAUSING GRIEVOUS BODILY
MARM
10
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRINK OR DRUGS 10
CARELESS DRIVING
5
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE FIRST FOUR OFFENCES WERE THOSE WHERE A MAGISTRATE ALREADY HAD DISCRETIONARY POWER TO SUSPEND A DRIVER'S LICENCE OUTRIGHT ON A FIRST CONVICTION.
EXPLAINING HOW THE PROPOSED SYSTEM WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID A DRIVER INCURRING 15 POINTS WITHIN A THREE-YEAR PERIOD WOULD BE LIABLE, ON SUMMONS AND CONVICTION IN A MAGISTRATES COURT, TO SUSPENSION OF HIS DRIVING LICENCE FOR UP TO THREE MONTHS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
FIRST INSTANCE. SUBSEQUENT CONVICTIONS WOULD RESULT IN SUSPENSION FOR SIX MONTHS.
WARNING LETTERS WOULD BE ISSUED TO DRIVERS ACCUMULATING MORE THAN TEN, BUT LESS THAN 15 POINTS,
/POINTS ACCUMULATED