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Strange excuses for poor driving may seem like they only happen in the movies, but you’d be surprised! Cambridge Police have recently released a list of reasons that people claim have caused them to behave dangerously on the roads – everything from racing to catch a ferry to car seat belts that just don’t go with the outfit. Here are some crazy excuses for breaking the law on the roads.
Unruly Children
One of the most common excuses for breaking the law while behind the wheel is unruly children and, if you’ve ever travelled with kids in the back seat, this shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise! Whether it’s constantly asking that dreaded question – ‘are we there yet?’ – or spilling juice everywhere, long journeys with little ones can test your patience. However, you’re the one in control. If you break the law on the roads, it won’t matter to the Police if your kids are little angels or complete hellraisers – you’ll still be hit with a CD10 penalty for driving without due care and attention, and have 3 points added to your licence.
When making trips with the kids in tow, always be sure they are properly secured within a child seat that’s right for their age and size. When buckled correctly, children should not be able to loosen the belts, and should remain safe and in one position for the entire journey, which can reduce distractions for the driver. Road safety website 3M Streetwise also recommends you ‘teach your child to be a good passenger’. Consider making up a bag of goodies to keep your kids entertained, such as colouring books, small toys, and a non-messy snack.
Needed Urgently
Another common excuse is the driver being needed urgently at home, with Police reporting some rather bizarre variations, including having a pregnant pet dog at home about to give birth! Legally, only emergency services are permitted to travel above the signed speed limit in the UK, but if you are hit with a speeding offence, you do have the right to appeal based on extenuating circumstances. The Magistrates Association states that ‘Magistrates have discretion not to put points on a licence if there are special reasons not to do so’, but there is no defined list of what counts as a special circumstance and what doesn’t. However, generally speaking, an on-call doctor attending an emergency would apply, whereas a new litter of puppies would not.
If you’re needed urgently, it’s much better to stay calm and drive responsibly to get to your destination. By speeding, you may think you’re doing the right thing, but remember that 14 percent of all road traffic accidents are related to driving above the speed limit.
Knowing Better
Police have reported increased incidents of drivers believing they know better, with many speeding offences justified by stating that 30 mph is slow enough for the area, despite a 20 mph speed limit in place. If you’re exiting a motorway and entering roads with streetlamps, or if you’re travelling down country roads with the national speed limit sign and suddenly arrive in a small village, 20 or 30 mph can seem like you’re going at a snail’s pace, but, believe it or not, these speed limits are in place for good reason. Many councils across the UK, including Bristol, Cardiff, and Lancashire have been busy campaigning for 20 mph speed limits in residential areas and outside of schools in an attempt to improve safety and reduce risk.
According to reports, ‘those hit by a car at 20mph are far more likely to walk away with bruises and minor injuries than those hit at 30mph’, so while drivers may think there’s no difference between 20 and 30 mph, it could mean the difference between life and death for a pedestrian. Cambridgeshire Police say that the issue of speeding tickets has shot up by 90 percent in just 12 months, resulting in 3 to 6 points on the licence.
Driver Responsibility
Whether we’re late for a meeting, or have picked up some bad driving habits since passing our test, it’s always so tempting to blame our driving offences on something, or someone, else. Anything to avoid having those points added to the licence. However, as drivers, we need to take responsibilities for our actions. And remember what the Police say – ‘while we appreciate there can sometimes be mitigating circumstances, there is never an excuse for breaking the law’.
