Damon Locantro has made a name for himself on the Sunshine Coast defending people charged with breaking the law. His practice, Locantro Lawyers, specialises in criminal defence but also offers services to those facing action by a government department. Damon has 15 years experience in criminal law and was formerly a NSW prosecutor and member of the NSW Police Service.

Police should scrap plan to target worst drivers

January 9 | Damon Locantro

Imagine that you’re driving along, not doing anything wrong, and the police pull you over.

The officer says: “Sir, I pulled you over because you have been voted number three in our worst driver top ten. Congratulations!

“Well, while we are here, how about you show us your licence again … thanks, have a nice day.”

That is how it will happen if the quote of North Coast Regional Traffic Co-ordinator Acting Inspector Peter Flanders is correct:
“… police will know to intercept these drivers if they see them”.

Now you can be intercepted because you are on a list, not because you are doing something wrong. How many times a day will a person on the list be pulled over?

Will a person on the list be followed by police? There are many other questions that would need answering.

In my opinion, a policy of this type will not reduce accidents. There are simply too many variables.

In addition, there does not seem to be any evidence of the success of this type of policy in other regions.

On the flip side, if the police do pull over people just because they are on a list, the police will be acting unlawfully, as there is no provision for people to be pulled over for this reason alone.

The police should scrap this policy immediately and look at other ways to try to reduce the road toll.

Recent Comments

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Posted by Sunshineviking from Buderim

on 9 January, 2008 at 4:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Well Mr Lacontro, I'm slightly surprised by you benevolence towards these scumbags. As you stand to lose out on defending their indefensible actions in court and laughing all the way to the bank. After all, If they haven't done anything wrong, why should they mind being stopped and checked?

To be fair, if these folks have the driving records they have, there are a few measures that the courts should employing:
a) Getting them to resit their test every year until they have three years without convictions
b) Compulsory viewing of accident videos taken by police and fire crews
c) Community service in Spinal injuries units to see the lifelong affects their behaviour can cause.

and Finally Mr L. Get off your high legal horse and stop pretending that we live in a police state.

Posted by staydead23 from mooloolaba

on 10 January, 2008 at 6:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

sunshineviking,if they haven't done anything wrong the police have NO right or reason to 'check' for anything. as the lawyer says, are these people identified as 'bad' drivers to be harrassed on a whim of vindictive and small minded police. and if you contend that they don't exist perhaps you should come down from buderim sometime.

Posted by Kathryn from Sunshine Coast

on 17 January, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Mr Locantro, it has been said by many and it will be said again; "the best predictor of future behaviour, is past behaviour".

To be considered by police as a "worst driver" does not entail one speeding fine or a single red-light camera snap; it requires a history of driving offenses. Please don't insult our intelligence by inferring innocent people would be "harassed" by this approach.

Posted by KNarracott from Buderim

on 3 February, 2008 at 9:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I agree with Kathryn. How would one make it onto the top 10 worst drivers list anyway MrLocantro?

By continuously obeying the road rules and having the utmost care and consideration for other road users I'm sure.

How bad would a driver have to be to be in the top 10 out of how many tens of thousands of Coast drivers?

If a person is that bad of a driver, and is on the same roads as me and my family, I hope the cops follow them everywhere they go.