The police’s focus on the ‘Fatal 4′ revealed hundreds of drivers flouting the law during April. And that’s just in Nottinghamshire.

The campaign, which has been rolled out in other areas of the country as well and targets the biggest causes of death and serious injury on the roads, found many motorists not wearing seatbelts, drink driving, speeding and using mobile phones. Click here to read more »

It has been reported today that Nottinghamshire has been involved in a trial for the government whereby specialised traffic courts have been instigated in an effort to fast track the court system dealing with motoring offences such as speeding and no insurance.

Since May 2012, in Nottinghamshire, most routine motoring offences have been scheduled to be heard at the Mansfield Magistrates Court, freeing up valuable court time for more serious matters at the Nottingham and Worksop Magistrates’ Courts. Initially on Mondays, but now also on Tuesdays, Mansfield has operated courts devoted to dealing with road traffic law – the case load of 160 or so cases now being split to around 80 cases a day! Ironically, this scheme came about hot on the heels of the closure of the Newark and Retford Magistrates’ Courts in Notts on ‘cost saving’ grounds. Click here to read more »

Interesting guidance over driver offence prosecutions emerged last week, which could prevent drivers being charged if they kill a loved one.

The Crown Prosecution Service guidance acknowledges that those who cause the deaths of close friends or relatives while driving “bear a particularly heavy responsibility”, according to director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer. Click here to read more »

Q:            What was wrong with the signs?

A:            The electronic speed warning signs on the M42 used between Junctions 7 and 9 featured the wrong shaped numbers that appeared “stretched”, contravening the Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions 2002. For those of you interested, see Schedule 13 Part V of Regulation 13 (9), which refers to the proportions and forms of letters, numerals and other characters for use on variable message signs. Click here to read more »

While the Department for Transport continues to mull over last year’s responses to overhauling penalties for motoring offences, the Met’s police chief has nailed his colours to the (mobile phone) mast.

“I have to say I have still got an issue around mobile phone usage myself,” Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe was reported as having told the Daily Mail. Click here to read more »

As the Daily Telegraph recently first reported, the variable speed limit signs used on the M42 between 2006 and 2009 were technically unlawful as the font used for the numbers did not match those prescribed under the regulation. Click here to read more »