Police are introducing a new camera system to help catch careless drivers.

The approach they intend to use has caused much debate and for many they feel it is an invasion of privacy.

The new spy cameras are to be on a mast positioned on top of police vehicles. The cameras will be able to zoom in for some distance and catch drivers who are using mobile phones, not wearing a seatbelt, eating or applying make-up.

The police suggest that introducing the cameras will help reduce road deaths but motorists see it as another way for the Government to cash in.

Drivers caught on camera talking on their phone will automatically be fined £60 and will be given three points on their licence. Anyone caught not wearing a seatbelt, eating or driving unduly will be fined £30.

One worry is that the cameras will reduce police presence on the roads and that their time will be spent surveying the footage rather than combating crime directly.

Some have suggested that the cameras be implemented to catch crimes that really affect society such as burglaries and anti-social behaviour. However, they realise that this is not likely as there is no money to be made doing this.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: “Are the spy cameras there to stop motorists acting carelessly on the road or are they just a money making machine ready to spy on the public. My advice is to resist picking your nose!”

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THE legal alcohol limit for drivers could be reduced by more than a third if the Government agrees with the recommendations of a new report.

Reducing it from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save hundreds of lives per year, a Whitehall-commissioned report by leading academic and legal expert Sir Peter North said.

He also recommended the one-year driving ban – automatic for those who exceed the current limit – should be maintained for the new 50mg limit.

Sir Peter, who was asked to review drink and drug-driving laws, also called for police to be given greater powers to check for drink-drivers.

Making 51 recommendations in all, he said police procedures enforcing current drug-driving laws should be improved, making it more straightforward for police to identify and prosecute drug-drivers by allowing nurses, as well as doctors, to authorise blood tests of suspects.

Medium-term, he recommended early approval of saliva testing of drug-driving suspects in police stations.

A porsche driver has been fined after he was caught with four dining chairs balanced on the passenger seat of his open-topped car.

Daniel Hill was stopped by officers who saw the stack of unsecured chairs towering over him. Hill, 26, of Exeter, denied driving without full vision of the road but was fined £60 with £215 costs by the city’s magistrates.

He said: “I had tunnels of vision through the chairs.”

Queen Elizabeth aged 84 was caught on camera leaving a polo match in her Jaguar not wearing a seatbelt.

She was on private land at the time therefore would not be found guilty of anything. However, she would not have been fined even if she had been on a public road or committing any driving offence of that matter as the law stipulates that a reigning monarch cannot be found guilty of it.

Anyone else committing this offense could be fined up to £500 and would have been given a fixed penalty of £60 if paid on the spot.

The Queen is the only person in Britain who by law does not need a licence but then why would she as the roads are essentially hers. Nor is she required to have registration plates on her vehicle.

Does the queen have a licence – it seems as though Queen Elizabeth learnt to drive in 1945 when she was an 18 year old princess and a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: Do I think its right that the Queen is the only person in Britain permitted to drive without a licence, possible not, but then I wouldn’t want to be the examiner that had to give the Queen bad news and tell her that she had failed her driving test.

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A lot of us will go the extra mile to ensure that our vehicle is safe, such as a steering lock or wheel clamp which is a good idea. However, there are some simple tips that we can all follow to minimise the risk of our car getting broken into.

Do not keep any valuables on display such as money, mobile phones, sat navs, stereos etc.

Make sure that if you have a mobile or sat nav holder you remove this from the window screen, this is informing a thief that you own such technology.

However, if you forget to remove electrical items and they do get stolen make sure you have written down the make, model and serial number of the items. It will make the items more easily identifiable and harder for a thief to sell on.

Park your car in a garage or on a driveway, this makes it a lot more secure than leaving it on a public road. If you do have to park your car away from home, try to park it in an area with CCTV coverage.

It may sound obvious but make sure that your car is always locked and your windows are shut, even if you will only be away from the car for a few seconds a lot of thieves are opportunists.

Finally make sure you keep your keys safe. It is not only pick pockets that you need to be aware of, but those that can take keys from your property. Do not leave your car keys by the front door as this allows easy access.

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A police officer was jailed yesterday for faking papers to dodge a motoring fine.

PC Dean Hardy, 35, feared becoming a laughing stock after being pulled over while driving without an MOT.

He later filled in a form to make it appear the MOT was valid and had it signed at Deeside station, Clwyd.

Jailing him for four months at Newport crown court, Judge Paul Thomas QC said: “If police officers don’t respect the law, how can the general public. People like you simply have to be made an example of.”

“Underage drinking is our nation’s No. 1 youth drug problem, killing 6.5 times more youth than all illicit drugs combined,” reads a National Academy of Sciences report from 2003. The report was apparently praised by members of Congress and advocacy groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for bringing underage drinking and driving to the forefront of the federal public health agenda. Yet seven years later, after all the fireworks of public outcry and agitation, the smoke has cleared and there are more teenagers drinking and driving than ever before.

The whole debate about driving under the influence (DUI) — whether penalties are too harsh, drunken driving is morally wrong — stirred my memory recently when I watched a DUI trial in Gunn High School’s Little Theater. The Santa Clara County Superior Court and Gunn law teacher Patricia Bruegger had arranged for the case, People v. Alexandra Taylor, to be held on campus for an educational experience for about 100 Gunn students, interested community members and the press.

There were all of the formalities of a typical courthouse trial, from a judge to a bailiff to evidence exhibits, but there was something very different about this trial: concerned students were actively involved and even engrossed, taking notes and listening closely to every argument, testimony and judicial instruction. There was even a mock jury of 12 students who rendered a “guilty” verdict after Judge Peter

At present the practical driving test allows learners to be guided along the test routes and given instructions throughout the test. However, from early October this is set to change.

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) are looking to close the gap between those at driving test standard and those at post test standard and believe that introducing independent driving will help do this.

The test will include a 10 minute period where by the pupil must drive unassisted and will be asked to drive to a destination following traffic signs or drive following a series of verbal directions – prompt cards will be available.

Independent test routes are currently being designed and diagrams being produced.

But don’t panic, this does not mean you have to have the memory of an Elephant, if you get lost or take a wrong turning, you will not fail for this and the examiner will put you in the right direction.

It was initially feared that this new approach would mean a significant number of people failing the test but research has shown this not to be the case. It is hoped that those that do pass the test will have a bit of real life experience on the roads and be able to attack the roads on their own once they pass.

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First things first, ensure that you are not in any immediate danger. Make sure your engine is switched off, your hazard lights are on and you vacate the car. It is important to make sure nobody is smoking.

If anybody in any of the vehicles involved are injured try your best to assess their injuries and call an ambulance. If they are seriously injured, only move them if it is absolutely necessary. If a motorcyclist is involved do not remove their helmet unless they have breathing problems.

You are by law required to stop at the scene of an accident and provide a certain number of details including your name, address and registration details. However, if you cannot provide these immediately you must report the incident to your local police station within 24 hours.

You must also provide details of your insurance policy. Again if this is not possible at the scene you must provide your contact details and inform your insurers as soon as practicably possible.

When you make a claim it is not always easy to prove who was responsible. Therefore it is important to make note of the other parties make, model and registration number. If possible, it’s advisable to take photos of the scene and note down the weather conditions, road conditions and whether they were any witnesses present. If there are try to take down contact details from the witnesses.

Finally stay calm. At the end of the day if you can carry out the instructions above you must be ok, a car is replaceable you’re not!!

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MOTORING football fans have been warned not to go down the wrong road by considering driving after drinking during televised World Cup matches.

Durham Police have issued the eve of tournament warning to the motoring public, among fears usually sensible drivers may be tempted to drink if caught up in the excitement of big game televised feedback from South Africa.

The World Cup forms a major consideration of this year’s police summer drink-driving crackdown strategy.

Patrol officers will be out in force during the campaign targeting those who think they can drink and drive and get away with it, while also checking for drivers who may be impaired by drugs.

Inspector Ken Cook, of Durham Police’s strategic road policing department, said: “Summer is generally a time for socialising and having fun and this year will be no exception.

“With the World Cup starting in a few days time we also expect lots of people to have a drink while watching the action.