Love ‘em or hate ‘em, mention speed cameras and
you’ll have a debate on your hands. While some people
say that speed camera fines are an easy way to line the
Government’s pockets with an extra £20m*, other
feel that they really do improve safety on our roads.
Some people really hate speed cameras with a vengeance
and have taken it to the extreme – recent GATSO assaults
just in the South West of the Country alone include one
blown up with a home made bomb, one demolished using an
angle grinder and three others burned using tyres filled
with petrol**.
6 months’ ago in Norwich, a speed camera experienced
some £30,000 worth of damage when it was fired at
with pellets from a high powered air gun. There are even
several websites where photographs of burnt out or wrecked
speed cameras are proudly displayed.
Certainly, being caught on camera has huge ramifications
– not only could you get disqualified from driving
if you accumulate 12 points or more on your licence, but
even getting caught once could add up an average of £192
on your annual car insurance premium***.
There are over 4,500 speed cameras in the UK and drivers
are automatically fined £60 and get three points on
their licence for each speeding offence. Once they have
accumulated 12 points, they are liable to be disqualified.
Whatever your feelings on speed cameras, it is true that
being disqualified due to being caught on camera one time
too many can have a devastating effect on your lifestyle.
How would you get to work or take the kids to school? What
about doing the weekly or monthly shop or even popping out
to buy a newspaper? It doesn’t bear thinking about.
However, you can protect your licence - without resorting
to blowing up or firing at speed cameras! - with FlashProtect
from specialist insurance website www.protection-insurance.com.
Designed to keep drivers mobile and protect their work
and family lives in the event of losing their driving licence
due to totting-up points or disqualification, the product
subsidises the extra travel costs that come in the wake
of a speeding conviction.
The main aspect of FlashProtect is that if a person gets
disqualified from driving due to being caught by speed cameras,
they will receive up to £6000 towards alternate transport
arrangements.
Jason King from the website says: "We can all make
mistakes - even responsible drivers can be caught out by
a momentary lapse, or perhaps by being intimidated to speed
by a tailgater.
"Certainly, if you've already picked up a few points
for, say, parking in the wrong place, then that first speeding
offence caught on a speed camera could see you disqualified.
Literally, one flash, and you are banned.
"And, without your own transport, how would you manage
to carry out your job, or do the simple day-to-day things
like shopping, running the kids to school or the dog to
the vet, without running up huge taxi bills or waiting for
buses?"
FlashProtect costs just £50 a year and whether you
need a taxi, bus, train or plane you can safeguard your
ability to travel and to carry out your job.
King is keen to point out that FlashProtect does not condone
stupidity or dangerous driving and that the product does
not cover individuals convicted of dangerous, reckless,
drink driving or driving under the influence of drugs and
conditions for acceptance do apply.
He says: "The purpose of the policy is to help responsible
drivers who are convicted of speeding carry on with their
lives – but more slowly
"And to stop people resorting to violence against
GATSOs…..".
For more information, call 0870 077 0005 or visit www.protection-insurance.com
21 April 2004
Source: www.protection-insurance.com
