An overwhelming majority of UK motorists support the use of speed cameras to check for insurance, MOT and road tax offences. 

89% of over 2,000 motorists surveyed supported the idea of cameras being used to spot illegal drivers

Research by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart has revealed that nearly nine in 10 (89%) of over 2,000 motorists surveyed supported the idea of cameras being used to spot those who decide to flout the rules and drive illegally on public roads without the required documentation.

The survey was carried out as part of the charity’s annual Safety Culture Report, which gauges drivers’ attitudes to key road safety issues over time.

IAM RoadSmart is now highlighting the findings to the police, councils and safety partnerships as it says that despite having the tools available to catch illegal drivers, many police forces are yet to leverage speed camera equipment to its full capabilities.

Neil Greig, director of policy and research, commented: “The inconvenience, as well as pain and financial misery, that uninsured drivers often inflict on other road users should not be overlooked, meaning we should be doing all we can to deter and punish drivers who think the rules don’t apply to them. It is well known that enforcing ‘paperwork’ offences often leads to the detection of other more serious crimes. This is why we support drivers in their calls for cameras to be used against those who violate the rules of the road.”

The IAM survey also found support among respondents for more fines to be handed to those who decide to exceed the speed limit; 82% agreed that cameras should automatically fine drivers who go more than 10mph over the limit in school zones and urban areas.

There was also support for similar schemes to be enforced for those who decide to exceed the speed limit in residential areas and motorways, albeit to a lesser extent (78% and 64%, respectively).

Greig added: “Speeding is simply unacceptable, and it’s encouraging to see that the public are largely in support of looking for new ways to identify motorists who are endangering the lives of others. Introducing automatic detection will deter drivers who are tempted to speed, which in turn will help reduce the number of casualties on our roads.”

• IAM RoadSmart will be attending this month’s Great British Fleet Event, talking about a number of different fleet risk management issues. For more details on the show and to register to attend for free, click here.