That’s according to MPs on the Commons Transport Committee who have pointed to a decline in detected motoring offences from 4.3 million in 2004 to 1.62 million in 2013, but highlighted that the number of 'causing death' offences has not fallen.

Chair of the Transport Committee, Louise Ellman MP said: “The fall in overall road offences does not reflect an improvement in driving. The Department for Transport says education, engineering and enforcement are key to road safety. One cannot exist without the other.

“The Committee recommends research to determine whether the use of diversionary education courses for poor driving has produced the required deterrent effect.

“Inappropriate speed was a contributory factor in 16% of fatal collisions. The vast majority of Fixed Penalty Notices issued for exceeding the speed limit are camera-detected but cameras cannot identify whether the driver is under the influence of alcohol or was driving carelessly.

“More than one fifth of people seriously injured or killed on our roads in 2014 were not wearing seatbelts. A driver being impaired by alcohol contributed to 8% of all fatal accidents.

“If enforcement of road traffic laws is to be effective, the decline in specialist roads policing officers must be halted. Engineering and education have a role to play but there must be a real likelihood that offenders will be stopped and prosecuted.”

Commenting on the report, RAC head of external affairs Pete Williams said: “The RAC welcomes the findings of the Transport Select Committee’s report. The sharp decline in roads policing officers – something the RAC highlighted over a year ago – appears to be having the very unwelcome effect of leading to fewer people being caught for illegal activity. It stands to reason that if a law exists, it needs to be enforced effectively.

“While the priorities for policing are a matter for each individual force, evidence suggests there is a large proportion of the public that want to see more police catching offenders on our roads. 60% of those we spoke to for the RAC Report on Motoring said that they believed there were insufficient police, leading to more motorists getting away with putting themselves and other road users at serious risk.

“The report makes some very positive recommendations, most notably; calling on the Government to support local police forces in maintaining the number specialist police officers; urging the Government to assess the experiences of Scotland, which lowered its legal blood alcohol limit in 2014. We believe the Government should follow the Committee’s advice on these key areas and implement the recommendations as soon as possible.”