UK motorists support ‘long lens of the law’

Nearly 60% of drivers are in favour of police forces using long-range mobile cameras to enforce motoring offences, a new survey suggests.

The cameras, which were trialled by Gloucestershire Police in 2018, can detect offences including speeding, tailgating and mobile phone usage from 1km away.
A survey, published by the RAC today (21 Feb), suggests 59% are supportive of the cameras – compared to 28% who were against the technology being used by police forces.
Of those in favour, 78% of respondents said it would be good to catch people illegally using a handheld phone – while 77% backed it for enforcing offences such as tailgating, middle lane hogging and not wearing seatbelts.
71% of respondents felt a long-range camera would make the country’s roads safer while 50% believed it would lead to more drivers being caught speeding.
However of the 28% against, 44% of respondents felt the camera’s use was ‘unfair’ as drivers would not be able to see it in advance. Just over a third (35%) were concerned about privacy issues and one in 10 (13%) thought they would probably end up getting caught speeding.
On the issue of whether speed cameras should be visible, drivers surveyed by the RAC were split – with 45% saying it is fair to have hidden police speed traps without warnings and 46% saying it is not.
However, respondents gave ‘very clear support’ for mobile speed cameras and police radars with only a quarter (25%) claiming they should be scrapped and 75% saying they should continue to be used.
The research also revealed no appetite for further increasing the penalties for speeding from the current minimum standard fine of £100 and three penalty points, with the majority (69%) believing this should be kept the same.

courtesy of Road Safety GB