New scheme tackles red light jumping in London

6 June 2008

A new measure to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured by red light jumping has been introduced by the London Safety Camera Partnership.

Two people every week are killed or seriously injured on London's roads by people who don't obey traffic lights. Motorists detected jumping a red light may now be given the choice of attending an instructive workshop rather than receiving a fixed penalty fine and points on their driving licence. The workshop aims to change drivers' behaviour, educating them to the danger they put themselves and other road users in if they ignore traffic signals. Through changing driver behaviour, the course aims to have a long term impact on safety for all road users, and help reduce the numbers killed and injured.

In suitable cases, the interactive workshops will be offered to offenders by police discretion. They cost £95 and last two and a half hours. The courses are available at three sites across the Capital - Bromley, Ealing and Islington.

Chris Lines, Head of the London Road Safety Unit, Transport for London, said: 'Though London's roads are getting safer and death and injury caused by red light jumping has fallen in recent years, the 129 deaths and serious injuries in 2006 caused by red light jumping demonstrate there is much more to be done’. 'Education plays a vital role in changing motorists' attitudes and we believe by introducing these workshops we will reduce the likelihood of people re-offending. 'We introduced similar workshops for speeding motorists and they have had a positive impact on all those who have attended.'

Jon Plant, Senior Operations Manager of the Metropolitan Police Traffic Criminal Justice Unit, said: 'As an alternative to prosecution, we are committed to offering drivers the opportunity to assess their own driving and to give them the information they need to make the right choices about their future driving behaviour.'

The courses in London will be delivered by DriveTech (UK) Limited www.drivetech.co.uk which also provides the Speed Awareness Scheme on behalf of the London Safety Camera Partnership.

Editor's Notes

DriveTech (UK) Limited is one of the UK’s leading providers of road risk management, driver assessment and education. We work both with organisations whose employees ‘drive for work’ and with members of the public, who are offered education as an alternative to prosecution by the police.

DriveTech’s vision is ‘working together to eliminate road death and serious injuries’ by providing the most effective and innovative solutions, using education and technology, to minimise risk for all road users.

DriveTech (UK) has won the Institute of Transport Management’s (ITM) ‘Fleet Award for Driver Training’ in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the ‘European Driver Safety Specialist’ award in 2005. In September 2007, it was named the ITM’s ‘UK Driver Training Solutions Specialist’ for making ‘the most significant impact upon the Driver Training and Safety sector over the past decade’

In 2007, DriveTech (UK) won the South England and South Wales regional award of the Bank of Scotland Corporate ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ of up to £5m, interest-free funding and was runner-up in the national Grand Finale. In addition, the company was named runner-up in the 2007 Thames Valley ‘Business of the Year’ award.

For further information, members of the media should contact Steve Johnson on direct line +44 (0)1789 414700, mobile +44 (0) 7894 621134 or on steve.johnson@drivetech.co.uk