COMMENT
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ENFORCEMENT IS THE WAY
Hard-pressed hauliers could be forgiven for thinking that to limit the number of hours they can legally drive as well as the speed at which they do so is simply unfair. But where safety is concerned, CM is right behind any initiative that helps cut needless accidents. So the fact that Scania is this week recalling some of its 4-Series tractors in light of an investigation into the efficacy of its speed limiters after the "runaway" vehicle that hit the headlines a few months ago is certainly a move in the right direction. Other manufacturers should follow its lead. As we have said many times before, when all a driver has to do to disable a limiter is jiggle with an ignition key, pump the accelerator or pull a fuse, there's clearly something wrong. But whether more effective speed limiters will really stop HGVs from speeding is doubtful. A determined engineer will always be able to bypass, rip out or simply reverse-engineer a limiter into oblivion. What's really needed is better enforcement. When drivers know they can't get away with speeding, they'll slow down, For proof, look no further than police statistics on the dramatic falls in speeding and accident levels in areas in which speed cameras have been installed. These show clearly that all sorts of drivers—including those without limiters—slow down rather than risk getting fined. So while CM applauds any vehicle manufacturer that makes its speed limiters tougher to disable, the authorities must also take some responsibility for overall road safety by extending the network of cameras on Britain's roads laying more HGV specific speed traps and pushing ahead with plans to raise the fixed penalty for speeding beyond the current £40. It's no more than honest hauliers driving within the law deserve.