Driver Improvement Scheme

[Duncan]

Following on from my thread the other day about my recent incident, by coincidence I received a letter today from Cleveland Police - the force dealing with the Merc driver who smacked me up the ar*e end in April. They are proposing to offer the driver the DIS as well. Surprised would be an understatement! Bearing in mind that this was the aftermath of his actions....



and was caused purely and simply by him driving too close and not paying attention.

Couple of quotes from the letter....

"From a consideration of the facts currently available, I have concluded that (the driver) was sufficiently blameworthy to justify further police action..........
While there is sufficient evidence in this case to justify a prosecution, there is no provision in law for a Magistrate to order such retraining and the imposition of a fine and fixed penalty points will not do anything to correct poor driving habits"

I think he's a very lucky chap to be offered the DIS, when you bear in mind that my incident was a minor RTA (WPC's words) with minor damage to both cars.

I know it's different Police forces, but it does seem to confirm that overall they are pushing the offering of the DIS. In the past I think my incident would have ended with no further action. It's clear from the wording of the letter that this driver would probably have been prosecuted.

Seems to be that if you have an accident these days (that ultimately can have the blame aimed at you) they're steering most people to the NIS - instead of no further action or a prosection. Obviously the far more serious/dangerous incidents will still have prosecutions.

I'm not trying to make any of this sound like I think it's unfair that I was offered the NIS. Yes, my incident was down to a set of unfortunate circumstances - namely an accident ahead of me round a corner - but at the end of the day I still clipped a near stationery car on a country road. I think it's actually a good thing that the NIS is being offered more as, in this guy's case, slapping him with a fine and points isn't going to improve his driving!

D

[Andy]

Ithink the two incidents are very similar. If both of you had been driving slower, and cautious of what may be around the next bend etc then it could be avoided. If I was the porsche owner and had Henry in the back, or if i was in your car, again with henry in theback, i'd have reacted exactly the same to both drivers at fault. NIS is a good solution i think.

[The Doc]

I agree with Andy 100%.

I think he's a very lucky chap to be offered the DIS, when you bear in mind that my incident was a minor RTA (WPC's words) with minor damage to both cars.

Not being funny D, but the damage you caused to that Porsche would of most likely been a write off.

[kitchpoo]

hope he doesnt attend the same course at the same time as you Dunc...

[Andy]

and i wonder if the porsche owner would class it as a minor incident lol. Im betting he thinks you are complete nutcase and is typing something like ' i cant believe this guy has just got a DIS" on a porsche forum somewhere lol

[Duncan]

hope he doesnt attend the same course at the same time as you Dunc...

lol - unlikely as his will be in Cleveland and mine in East Sussex.

John - I don't know the end result of the Porsche. I'll be notified in due course by my insurers. But even if it is a write-off, it was still a minor RTA. We all know that sometimes just a certain bit of damage in the wrong area can write a car off.

Andy - I agree there is definitely a similarity between the two i.e. that we both hit a car in front - simple as that. But TBH, there the similarity ends. The Merc driver was simply driving too close to me (and had been for some distance) and not paying attention - he had a clear view of the (straight) road ahead. I came round a corner on a country road that had a 60mph limit to be faced with a stationery line of traffic dead ahead of me due to an accident further ahead blocking the road. Sods law dictated that this queue was as far back as it could be to give me minimal braking distance whilst not being visible from before the corner.

Given the wording of the letter to me regarding the other driver, it was clear he would probably have been prosecuted in absence of the DIS. The wording of the letter to me for my incident was somewhat different and it sounded unlikely that they would have/could have prosecuted.

That aside - the main gist of my post, and what I was aiming to get across, was that the DIS seems to be the most favourable option for police forces at the moment - instead of no further action or prosection. I did say that I thought offering the NIS more was a good thing.

and i wonder if the porsche owner would class it as a minor incident lol. Im betting he thinks you are complete nutcase and is typing something like ' i cant believe this guy has just got a DIS" on a porsche forum somewhere lol

Maybe so - but I'm not complaining about the Merc driver getting a DIS. Surprised - yes, but complaining? No. I think it's the best option for him. And as I said in my other thread I don't think any of us could say we wouldn't benefit from one of these courses - me included.

D

[bobbyboy]

imo, attending a course which will improve ypur driving and not getting points or a fine, sounds the way forward....HOWEVER..there has to be a line drawn between driving without due care and attention, and Dangerous driving, the latter of which should be punished....

[Duncan]

Can't agree more BB! - and I'm hoping that in those cases (dangerous driving ones) they are still being prosecuted and not just offered a DIS.

D

[MLC]

DIS would only be offered in case where there is no or very minor injury.

[AJA]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the course D, as you obviously like driving. Enjoy!