The Road Traffic Law Review (North Report) (see IRRD 811567) was published in 1988 and it made a large number of recommendations with regard to road traffic law and its enforcement. The current report tracks the progress of a number of themes from the North Report over the last ten years, focusing on those of particular relevance to road casualty reduction. Information was sought through consultation with a range of interested parties, and from relevant publications and data sources. This report identifies three main aspects of road traffic law - knowledge and education, detection and processing, and sanctions and penalties - through which casualty reduction can be tackled. The subject of resources is also discussed. The extent to which the North Report recommendations have been implemented and have proved to be successful is considered, although any direct link to casualty reduction is often hard to quantify. A number of recommendations are made in the above areas, including those which relate to training, the role of magistrates, in-vehicle technology, camera enforcement and the use of other new technology, roadside access to information by the police, and the way in which courts utilise the sentencing powers available to them. Areas where more research is needed are also identified. The status and prioritisation of road policing in relation to other areas of policing, and the importance attached to road traffic offences by the CPS and the courts are raised as issues of concern. Mechanisms for promoting and monitoring progress are suggested, and the report proposes that the whole area of road traffic law enforcement is scrutinised by Parliament. Where trend data taken from annual statistics is shown, the source for the most recent year is given. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting