No Excuse campaign: new lasers to help catch motorists

Their vans will be fitted with new lasers which will allow traffic officers to detect from a longer distance whether someone is using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seatbelt.

The system, which is already used to detect speeding motorists, is awaiting final approval but should be up and running in Dorset during the early part of this year.

Bosses say the device will help boost detection with those who think they are above the law and spread the message to motorists that they have a responsibility to drive safely.

The No Excuse campaign is approaching its second year and project manager Brian Austin, pictured, says it has helped contribute to an 18 per cent reduction in casualties when comparing statistics in months before the campaign and 18 months after.

“We are not saying it is all down to No Excuse, but it has contributed towards the reduction in casualties.

“Other counties’ casualty rates have reduced by eight per cent, Dorset is significantly higher.

“The aim of No Excuse is to change the way drivers act. With safety cameras, traffic officers and road safety officers we want to make people more aware of the risks they face when driving.”

He said most drivers who are pulled over for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, talking on their mobile phone or driving whilst distracted often recite back the title of the campaign – “I have no excuse”.

Drivers are issued with a fixed penalty notice of a £60 fine and three points put on their licence.

The majority of drivers are invited to take part in the ‘Driver Awareness Scheme’ or a seatbelt course which costs significantly more than the fine but they don’t receive the points on their licence.

Between January 18 and October 31 2011, 12,250 offences were processed – 7,500 fixed penalty notices issued by officers and 4,750 fines from speed cameras.

Of the officer-issued tickets, 22 per cent were for seatbelt offences and 16 per cent for mobile phone offences.

Brian said the campaign has highlighted the bad excuses drivers have given for their poor driving.

One woman was stopped in Weymouth for driving with her bonnet covering the view of the windscreen.

She was looking through a small gap just above her dashboard, intending to drive the car home for her husband to fix.

Another lady, who was caught travelling 43mph in a 30 zone past a school, said she was speeding to get home to check she hadn’t left her tap running in the kitchen and onto her new floor.

Brian said: “We have also spoken to people who have been rushing to get to the shop to get a loaf of bread or some shampoo.

“Is that really worth risking someone’s life or your own safety for? That is what we are trying to do, make people aware and trying to change the mindset of individuals.

“It always surprises me the reasons people put forward for why they put themselves, other road users and pedestrians at risk.

“I would prefer not to catch anyone but No Excuse is not about penalising people, it’s about getting them to think about the risks when they drive.”

• In December No Excuse won a prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.

• 14 other forces, including the whole of Scotland, have requested No Excuse data and procedures to run similar operations.

Ticket factfile

• Between January 18, 2010 and January 17, 2011, 16,600 offences were processed. 9,200 were officer issued tickets (OITs) and 7,400 were fines from speed cameras.

• In 2010/11, 35 per cent of OITs were for seatbelt offences and 14 per cent for mobile phone offences

• No Excuse staged four surround a town operations in 2011 in Poole Shaftesbury, Bournemouth and Bridport.

• 80 per cent of people questioned recognised the No Excuse campaign logo

• New pop up Velcro signs have been made to allow officers to move them around the county to spread the No Excuse message.