Road Safety Bill [HL]

I am a little confused and somewhat disappointed by the reply that I have received. The education of people who do not wear seat belts is almost a dead letter. I reiterated very clearly that only 10 per cent of people who are prosecuted by the police elect to go on an education course: 85 per cent of people caught for speeding do so. In other words, people do not care. The reason they do not care is that the fine is totally derisory. The offence needs to be endorsable. I am not saying that the endorsement should be three points, just that there should be something in the way of points. Then people will go on education courses and will see the consequences. I hope for a better reply on Report, because I will put the matter to a Division. I will make sure that the Government are very firmly put in the position that the seat belt deaths that are occurring week by week are their responsibility. They are not the responsibility of anyone else and cannot be brushed off on the public at large or someone else. I assume that it is because the Government refuse to take action. There must be something better: a £30 fixed penalty notice is nonsense. I cannot think that a £30 penalty is in any way appropriate for offences that may lead to the deaths of people. On Report, I hope that the Minister will have reconsidered her position. The position of the   department is untenable and will not lead to the   necessary reduction in deaths to reach the Government’s targets. It is a serious matter. I fully understand the situation of black cab drivers, who are in a special position. There is a big partition in a black cab. It is very unlikely that people in the back will be thrown through. They are also professional drivers. We may all have our stories about black cab   drivers and their behaviour, but they drive all of the time in the worst possible traffic conditions. They are professional drivers. Nor do they drive very fast in   London because it is not possible, although occasionally they may try.