Latest news with #NicholasLyes
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Police will fire sticky tracker ‘darts' onto vehicles to avoid deadly high-speed chases
Police Scotland is to pilot the high-tech GPS kit in a bid to avoid hot pursuits which put the public at risk. Police will fire sticky tracker 'darts' onto vehicles to slash the danger posed by high-speed chases in Scotland. The force has shelled out £450,000 to pilot high-tech kit which allows cops to launch GPS devices onto cars and stalk suspects remotely in a bid to avoid a hot pursuit through the streets. The move comes after a string of officers were injured and members of the public were killed as a result of car chases in recent years and follows the lead of other police forces in the UK and US. Police Scotland confirmed it would be delivering a pilot of the devices 'in selected areas of Scotland'. And a road safety expert yesterday said their use could be a 'significant step' in reducing the threat police pursuits pose to the public. Nicholas Lyes, Policy and Standards Director at IAM RoadSmart, a charity formerly known as The Institute Of Advanced Motorists, said: 'Despite the fact police are highly trained in pursuits like these they still pose a potential danger to our roads. 'While the police are highly trained, the person that they're chasing is clearly not. Every time there is a chase on the road the risk to pedestrians and everyone else goes up significantly. 'Any technological advance that can reduce the chances of this happening could be a significant step. 'While this doesn't necessarily stop the criminals who are being chased from driving really dangerously, it can reduce the amount of time they're on the road because police can track them and stop them more quickly.' The contract for the new trackers was awarded to GMK Ltd - a top supplier of firearms and related tactical products into the UK Police, Emergency Services, and Ministry of Defence. In the US, several police departments have started using StarChase hand held or vehicle-mounted launchers that fire foam 'dart' projectiles with a heat-activated sticky glue at fleeing vehicles - hailing the trackers as a major safety tool protecting communities and officers. StarChase's exclusive supplier in the UK is GMK. In 2022, Surrey and Sussex Police were part of a trial of the new technology. The force deployed StarChase multiple times in a six month period, nine of which stopped the pursuit from developing. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. In Scotland, the dangers of police chases have been repeatedly highlighted by a string of serious crashes. On Saturday, a dramatic police chase ended with a car going into the River Clyde. Police pursued a car carrying two males at around 9pm after the vehicle allegedly failed to stop on Law Street in Glasgow. A teenager was later arrested. In January, a police officer was seriously injured in a crash during a pursuit of a car which was reported to have been driving dangerously on the A82 south of Inverness. In July last year, a 27-year-old man died after a white Vauxhall Corsa crashed off the M9 motorway and down an embankment during a police pursuit in the Stirling area. In April last year two officers were left in hospital when their police car crashed in Perth while pursuing a black Volkswagen Golf. And tragedy struck in May 2016 when Edinburgh nurse Jill Pirrie, 33, was knocked down and killed by a speeding teenage driver who was being chased by police. The mum-of-one was walking home from work at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary when she was hit from behind by a Ford Ka being driven by Dylan Jenkin, who had bought the car for £40 off the internet and didn't have a licence or insurance. A marked police car gave chase after officers signalled for 18-year-old Jenkins to stop, but he sped off. He was sentenced to six years in jail for causing the nurse's death by dangerous driving. A contract award notice published in recent days shows the force has struck a deal with GMK for delivery of the 'supply and installation of GPS tracking devices for police pursuits'. Police Scotland said it could not comment on the specific type of devices to be used for operational reasons. A spokeswoman said: 'Work is ongoing to deliver a pilot of the devices in selected areas of Scotland.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Smart motorway software failure put drivers on M62 at risk for nearly a month
Smart motorway safety systems meant to detect broken-down cars were out of service for nearly a month last year, National Highways has admitted. The motorway incident detection and automated signalling (Midas) software on a smart stretch of the M62 failed completely on Aug 7 last year, the state-owned road maintenance agency said. It was broken for 28 days, forcing National Highways to lower the speed limit on the M62 between Warrington and Manchester to 60mph until it was fixed. At the time, the agency said that it had 'discovered a software fault'. The revelation, from National Highways' annual smart motorway stocktake report, came alongside new data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) showing that a third of the controversial highways are more dangerous now than they were when the policy was introduced. Smart motorways turn the hard shoulder, which is provided so vehicles at imminent risk of breaking down have a safe place to pull over away from 70mph traffic, into a live running lane. Motorists are more likely to be hurt or killed on smart motorways than on conventional motorways, the ORR figures revealed. Edmund King, the president of the AA, said: 'It is time to accept so-called 'smart' motorways have failed and side with the majority of drivers who want the reinstatement of the hard shoulder. 'At the same time, a third of radar detection schemes tested failed to meet the standard – two of which failed and worsened in a 12-month period. 'This loss of safety technology, which drivers have been asked to put their trust in, meant they were put in unnecessary danger.' Nicholas Lyes, the policy director of motoring charity Iam Roadsmart, said: 'After the many billions of pounds that have been spent on smart motorways, the metrics do not show a safer network compared to what it replaced. 'It also reveals that on those stretches of all-lane-running smart motorways without a hard shoulder, the rate of fatal and serious collisions involving stopped vehicles is almost double that of both a conventional motorway and those with a dynamic hard shoulder.' The 'killed and seriously injured' rate on smart motorways increased on 12 out of the 39 stretches around the country, Telegraph analysis of ORR data revealed. In three of those sections, the rate more than doubled. More than 50 deaths have been linked to crashes on smart motorways caused by vehicles ploughing into broken-down cars that cannot escape from traffic. The planned expansion of smart motorways across the nation was halted by Rishi Sunak in 2023. But National Highways is about to complete a £900 million 'emergency retrofit' plan to build hundreds of new safety laybys on existing smart motorways. The ORR said on Thursday that it was 'improbable' National Highways would meet its current target of reducing road deaths by 50 per cent by the end of this year. Feras Alshaker, the ORR's director of performance and planning, said: 'It is a good thing that safety continues to improve on the strategic road network, and we should recognise the work that National Highways has been doing to improve safety on its roads. 'National Highways must now focus on implementing the remaining actions from its plan to further improve road user safety.' Nick Harris, chief executive of the state-owned road maintenance body, said: 'Our ambition is that no one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads, which means that safety continues to be our number one priority. 'Our latest analysis continues to show that overall, in terms of deaths or serious injuries, smart motorways remain our safest roads.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Smart motorway software failure put drivers on M62 at risk for nearly a month
Smart motorway safety systems meant to detect broken-down cars were out of service for nearly a month last year, National Highways has admitted. The motorway incident detection and automated signalling (Midas) software on a smart stretch of the M62 failed completely on Aug 7 last year, the state-owned road maintenance agency said. It was broken for 28 days, forcing National Highways to lower the speed limit on the M62 between Warrington and Manchester to 60mph until it was fixed. At the time, the agency said that it had 'discovered a software fault'. The revelation, from National Highways' annual smart motorway stocktake report, came alongside new data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) showing that a third of the controversial highways are more dangerous now than they were when the policy was introduced. Smart motorways turn the hard shoulder, which is provided so vehicles at imminent risk of breaking down have a safe place to pull over away from 70mph traffic, into a live running lane. Motorists are more likely to be hurt or killed on smart motorways than on conventional motorways, the ORR figures revealed. Edmund King, the president of the AA, said: 'It is time to accept so-called 'smart' motorways have failed and side with the majority of drivers who want the reinstatement of the hard shoulder. 'At the same time, a third of radar detection schemes tested failed to meet the standard – two of which failed and worsened in a 12-month period. 'This loss of safety technology, which drivers have been asked to put their trust in, meant they were put in unnecessary danger.' Nicholas Lyes, the policy director of motoring charity Iam Roadsmart, said: 'After the many billions of pounds that have been spent on smart motorways, the metrics do not show a safer network compared to what it replaced. 'It also reveals that on those stretches of all-lane-running smart motorways without a hard shoulder, the rate of fatal and serious collisions involving stopped vehicles is almost double that of both a conventional motorway and those with a dynamic hard shoulder.' The 'killed and seriously injured' rate on smart motorways increased on 12 out of the 39 stretches around the country, Telegraph analysis of ORR data revealed. In three of those sections, the rate more than doubled. More than 50 deaths have been linked to crashes on smart motorways caused by vehicles ploughing into broken-down cars that cannot escape from traffic. The planned expansion of smart motorways across the nation was halted by Rishi Sunak in 2023. But National Highways is about to complete a £900 million 'emergency retrofit' plan to build hundreds of new safety laybys on existing smart motorways. The ORR said on Thursday that it was 'improbable' National Highways would meet its current target of reducing road deaths by 50 per cent by the end of this year. Feras Alshaker, the ORR's director of performance and planning, said: 'It is a good thing that safety continues to improve on the strategic road network, and we should recognise the work that National Highways has been doing to improve safety on its roads. 'National Highways must now focus on implementing the remaining actions from its plan to further improve road user safety.' Nick Harris, chief executive of the state-owned road maintenance body, said: 'Our ambition is that no one should be harmed while travelling or working on our roads, which means that safety continues to be our number one priority. 'Our latest analysis continues to show that overall, in terms of deaths or serious injuries, smart motorways remain our safest roads.'
Sky News
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- Sky News
E-scooters blamed for surge in number of uninsured teenage drivers
Nearly 800 children have been caught driving or riding without insurance in the last four years, which is partly blamed on the rise in popularity of e-scooters. According to analysis of official statistics, by the road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, one in 10 were aged 14 or below. It says that DVLA figures show 375 children aged between 13 and 16 were issued with an IN10 endorsement - the offence code for using an uninsured vehicle - last year. This compares to just 17 in 2021. Despite a rise in the popularity of e-scooters, they remain illegal on public roads or in public spaces and it is not possible to get insurance. IAM RoadSmart says this means police will seize them and the rider will be penalised for having no insurance. 2:07 The only legal route to using e-scooters on roads is via trials which are operating across 22 regions in England, although the age requirement for hiring one is typically 16 or older. There are currently no rental schemes in Scotland or Wales. IAM RoadSmart says the status of e-scooters is problematic: "Although it's illegal to ride a privately-owned e-scooter on public roads, they are widely available for sale," said director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes. "The government needs to urgently bring forward legislation on private e-scooters, which must include minimum-type approval device standards, speed limiters and proposals for riders to have a minimum level of competency," he added. The charity estimates that more than 750,000 private e-scooters have been bought, some as gifts for children, but parents may wrongly believe they can be used on the roads. Meanwhile, uninsured driving and riding among young motorists is continuing to increase, according to IAM RoadSmart, which blames the cost of insurance. The charity says a freedom of information request to the DVLA revealed there were 7,234 IN10 endorsements handed to people aged 17-21 last year, more than double the total of 3,340 in 2021. In contrast, the number of those over the age of 22 receiving IN10 endorsements has fallen since 2021.
The Independent
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
E-scooters linked to stark increase in teen lawbreaking
A sharp rise in teens caught using a vehicle without insurance has been linked to the increasing popularity of electric scooters. Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart is urging the government to introduce new legislation concerning the scooters. Figures obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) by the charity reveal a stark 2,200 per cent surge in IN10 endorsements – the code for using a vehicle without insurance – issued to children aged 13 to 16. A total of 375 endorsements were issued in 2024, compared to just 17 in 2021. IN10 endorsements are offences that stay on a driver's licence for four years and can result in a fine of £300. 'The number of children caught driving or riding without insurance is shocking and is likely to be down to the those riding e-scooters,' IAM RoadSmart director of policy and standards Nicholas Lyes said. It is illegal to ride a privately owned e-scooter on a public road or pavement. However, they are widely available for sale and have become a common sight, particularly in urban areas. Mr Lyes said it was estimated that more than 750,000 private e-scooters had been purchased. 'The government needs to urgently bring forward legislation on private e-scooters, which must include minimum-type approval device standards, speed limiters and proposals for riders to have a minimum level of competency.' Insurance is not available for privately owned e-scooters. Separate Department for Transport (DfT) figures show six people were killed and 416 were seriously injured in crashes in Britain involving at least one e-scooter in 2023. Trials of rental e-scooters on roads in England have been ongoing in towns and cities since July 2020. IAM RoadSmart also found 7,234 IN10 endorsements were handed to people aged 17-21 in 2024. That was more than double the total of 3,340 in 2021. For young car drivers aged 17-24, uninsured driving was likely to be a result of cost pressure, Mr Lyes said. 'Young people pay the largest insurance premiums of all and rely on vehicles for independence and work opportunities. 'While there may be some light at the end of the tunnel with premiums starting to fall, cost will remain a barrier and some may continue to break the law unless we see significant change.' Mr Lyes said there were levers the government could pull. 'Insurance premium tax breaks for those undertaking additional training would be a good start and can be an incentive for new drivers.' A DfT spokesperson said: 'We are carefully considering next steps on e-scooters, but in the meantime private ones remain illegal for use on public roads. 'We are committed to tackling high car insurance costs as part of our Plan for Change to raise living standards across Britain and that's why we have set up a cross-government taskforce to look at how we can help stabilise or reduce premiums.'
