We’re on right road in war on speeding

DRIVING at excessive speed is, along with drink-driving, the biggest killer on our roads.

New legislation means that anyone caught driving while over the legal limit for alcohol will be automatically banned – so it remains now only for speeding to be properly addressed.

Transport Minister Shane Ross is planning to introduce a new law that would see the fine for speeding rise depending on how many kilometres an hour over the limit the driver was travelling.

At face value, that seems a good idea, but it needs careful consideration. After all, travelling at 5kph over the 120kph limit on the motorway is less likely to be lethal than driving at 35kph in a 30kph residential zone where every excess kilometre an hour poses a lethal danger to the very young, the elderly and cyclists.

Perhaps the fine should be based on percentages, because driving at 35kph in a 30kph zone is, proportionately, the same excess as doing 140kph on the motorway, where the limit is 120kph.

If the fines are to be based on excessive kilometres per hour alone, the minister must be careful not to be seen to almost de-empahsise low-level speeding because travelling at excessive speed in a built-up area is usually more dangerous than doing so on the open road.

It is believed that another new measure, a graduated penalty points system based on the excess, was also considered but rejected – and that probably makes sense.

We have seen before how drivers really modify their behaviour only if they face taking a hit in the wallet; respect for the safety belt law was often half-hearted, but the very real threat of a fine now sees almost 100% compliance.

So while we await the detail with interest, we are pleased the minister has turned his sights on the scourge of excessive speed, and that he is prepared to tackle head-on this age-old problem.