The Sydney Morning Herald published an article last week on how many people find it acceptable to speed in order to keep up with traffic.
While this is probably true, it also mentioned that the NSW Government is going to decrease the fine for speeding up to 15 Km/h over the speed limit, but increase the number of demerit points by one (from 2 to 3). The reasoning behind this is to show that the state government isn't just trying to raise revenue.
While I'm not particularly happy with the current state government, I think this is a great idea. To many people, losing 2 demerits points out of their 12 isn't a very harsh 'punishment'. A $130 fine, while not spare change, shouldn't exactly break the bank for most people. However, if you lose 3 demerit points, you're a little bit closer to losing your license, which is important to many, many people. To put it another way, if you're caught speeding twice in when double demerit's are in place in a 3 year period, you're stuffed. It's another way to push the "speeding is bad" message, and I think it'll be reasonably effective.
In an ideal world, we would all just follow the speed limits, but there are always going to be jackasses out there that think they're super-fantasmo drivers that won't get into an accident. But… that's not the case.
As a side note, a reform I'd like to see is harsher penalties for speeding in school zones (40 Km/h). The amount of people I see hurtling through these is amazing, even when there are massive warning signs! The school zones are there for a reason (to stop kids being run over), and if a driver thinks it's OK to speed through one (in the designated times), they deserve to lose their license. I think we need better signs, though. Maybe a board that displays when a school zone is in effect (based on the time of day, whether it's a weekend, holidays, pupil-free days, etc).
I dont entirely agree with this entry Jem. A major problem i do see in the governments lowering of financial side of the fine does not seem, in my opinion, to be a good deterrent to maniac drivers. One of the major points that i’d like to point out is that Bob Carr doesn’t have the best public image at the moment, with the hospital crisis, public education and what so not. What im trying to get at is the state government’s attempt at “show(ing us) that the state government isn’t just trying to raise revenue.” is a feeble demonstration of Carr et al at trying to get back into our good books.
I think that one of the best proposed reforms that I’ve seen (althought rejected and difficult to implement) is the sliding scale of fines. Meaning, the more you get paud, the higher the fine. Why? Because $130 to me isnt the same as $130 to bill gates now is it?
Perhaps. Public image aside, I think increasing the amount of demerit points is a good idea, as it affects the person regardless of how much money they have.
A sliding scale of fines would also help, as well, though.