Mobile Speed Vans: The Myths, Truths and The 10% Rule
These days it is nearly impossible to travel anywhere without
spotting a speed van on the side of the road eagerly waiting to deter the
public from breaking the law.
We cover some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding
the Go Safe vans and the people operating them.
Is it
true that speed vans need to be visible?
In short, no they don’t so be aware. There are no current
laws regarding the visibility and in truth, there is nothing stopping an officer
from performing their duty in the dark.
It isn’t very often that they operate in this way and they
maintain that working in the day allows them to be a deterrent to speeding.
Does the
10% rule exist?
Yes, it does. Great news I know but try not to push it. Abiding
by the speed limits is still your safest option to avoid prosecution.
To confirm, you will not receive a ticket providing that
your speed does not exceed 10% of the limited on that road plus an additional 1mph.
An example is that if you travel at 35mph in a 30mph one,
this will be recorded as a speeding offence and you can expect to receive a letter
in the post.
This is not set in stone however and Go Safe are able to
change the threshold and not provide any notice to the public. If you check UK
Law, you’ll find that any vehicle travelling over 1mph is committing a speeding
offence, but most forces will allow a variance.
Can they
only catch motorists in one direction?
No, this is not true whatsoever so be careful. Any vehicle
that passes a Go Safe van is recorded using the officer’s camera.
Is it
against the law to obstruct a vans view of the road?
Yes, this is obstruction and you will be actively stopping
the officer from completing their operational duties for which you can be prosecuted.
Can I get
caught speeding more than once in the same day?
The current Go Safe position on this topic is that if you
get caught twice in 20 minutes then it will be treated as only one offence.
Be careful however because anything outside of this window
will be treated as more than one offence and you could go from a clean license
to the complete opposite within a matter of hours.
Can they
enforce anything else?
Yes, they can. These officers are on the lookout for any
motorists that are using a mobile phone or driving without a seat belt. If you
are caught doing either, then you can expect to be prosecuted.
This can be the reason why the speed vans are in the same
areas as the permanent and stationary speed cameras.
Is it illegal
to flash my lights to warn others?
It is extremely difficult for it to be proved; however, it
is a criminal offence to flash other drivers to notify them of the speed van.
Under section 89 of the Police Act 1997 it is an offence to “wilfully
obstruct a constable in the execution of his/her duty”.
How long do
the vans stay in one area?
For technical reasons, you won’t find a Go Safe van in the
same spot for more than 90 minutes. During the average 8 hour shift they
usually park in three different locations which they are told to visit.
These locations are not random and are usually for reasons
such as if death of injury has occurred or the speed in the area has been significantly
high.
What happens
if I am caught speeding?
It all depends on the circumstances and how much you were in
excess of the speed limit. The current minimum penalty of getting caught
speeding is a £100 fine.
In some circumstances you might be given the option of attending
a speed awareness course which can be taken instead of a fine and penalty
points.
It is much more likely that a driver awareness course will
improve your driving behaviour and make the UK roads safer.
To ensure that you stay within the speed limit, there are several
features in new vehicle that can help you. For example, road sign recognition
cameras and adaptive cruise control. Visit www.premiercommercialvehicles.co.uk.
Female Personal Trainer Cardiff
Female Personal Trainer Cardiff
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