RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
November 5, 1998
DEATH CASE LEADS TO SMART CARD LICENCE CALL
Smart card driving licences could be a vital weapon in the fight to stop similar tragedies to the one for which a teenage motorist was sentenced in Birmingham today, according to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
RoSPA would welcome tighter controls on the types of cars novice drivers are allowed to drive.
People with less than two years driving experience are seven times more likely to crash than middle-aged motorists.
Dave Rogers, RoSPA Road Safety Adviser, said: "Greater expertise and a different attitude are needed to handle high performance cars like the one involved in the accident which resulted in the deaths of two elderly sisters.
"But tougher laws will be difficult to enforce as police cannot tell just by looking at a driver what experience they have - and even a souped up saloon can look quite tame at first glance."
He said the long-term solution would be smart card driving licences which could automatically prevent drivers using cars which were ruled to be too powerful for them.
The card would be programmed with information about the driver and could help to stop motorists who had been banned for drinking and driving, for example.
Dave Rogers said the technology - similar to a bank cash card "hole in the wall" machine - was already available, but cars would need to be fitted with smart card "readers".
"I believe this technology has an important role to play in reducing the 46,500 deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads each year," he said. "In the meantime, parents buying cars for their children need to consider whether their child is mature enough and has the right attitude to be on the roads. Investing in extra training would also be a good idea."
RoSPA has also called for a tougher driving test and reassessment of new drivers after two years.
