Lord Advocate calls for speed awareness courses to be introduced to Scotland
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James Wolffe QC
Motorists who break the law could avoid penalty point by signing up to speed awareness courses (SACs) if proposed plans go ahead, The Scotsman reports.
Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC has called for SACs to be introduced to Scotland, bringing it into line with England and Wales.
A working group which includes the Crown Office will now assess the proposals.
The courses, which usually last four hours and cost under £100, are intended to show that lives can be saved by reducing speeds and have been running south of the border for more than 10 years.
IAM RoadSmart policy director Neil Greig said: “We have been calling for this for many years. There’s no reason we should not have [SACs] in Scotland, when they have been such a big success in England.”
A Crown Office submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee stated: “These proposals have been considered carefully by the Lord Advocate, who has agreed in principle to the diversion at source to SACs by Police Scotland as an alternative to prosecution in appropriate cases.
“This is subject to approval of the specific arrangements which are to be put in place. A multi-agency working group will devise the necessary infrastructure and guidance required to support the introduction of SACs in Scotland.”
A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “We have received approval in principle to commence work to introduce SACs to Scotland.
“Only once this has been completed and approved by the lord advocate will we be able to consider implementation.”
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