Police plan to net fine evaders

Speeding motorists who escape penalty by claiming they do not know who was driving their vehicle at the time would be given 28 days to identify the driver or accept the fine and demerit points under a police plan.

A spokesman for Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said about 4000 speeding infringements issued by speed cameras in 2008-09 had been withdrawn by police after the owners claimed they were not behind the wheel at the time and police could not prove that they were the driver.

Currently police have to investigate the identity of a speeding driver if the owner of the vehicle claims he or she does not know who was driving. If a company tells police they do not know who was driving a vehicle caught speeding they must pay double the specified fine.

It is understood police want an owner-onus law to be introduced.

It would give car owners 28 days to either identify the driver or submit a statutory declaration that the vehicle was stolen. Owners who failed to comply would be fined and lose demerit points.

It is believed police are still considering how the law could be changed to bring greater accountability to companies before they make a formal submission to the State Government.

Police Minister Rob Johnson said he supported owner-onus legislation and was working with police to "finalise a model".

"Of course, people who speed shouldn't get away with it," Mr Johnson said. "This is a question of public safety."

Police Union president Russell Armstrong said the loophole needed to be closed immediately given the Government's plans to double the number of speed cameras on WA roads.

"What is the point of increasing the number of cameras and having police issuing infringements if there's a get-out clause for people to exploit?" Mr Armstrong said.

"Police also waste time having to investigate the owner's claims that they weren't the ones driving."

Commander Michelle Fyfe said that police would soon present a submission on proposed changes to the laws to the Government.

"The current legislation requires a level of investigation by Police, yet places minimal demands on the vehicle owner to carry out any inquiry to determine who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence," Ms Fyfe said.

"It is the WA Police position that a more streamlined process should be sought and that process ought to bring about greater public acceptance of vehicle owner responsibility."

Shadow police minister Margaret Quirk said that the impending increase in speed cameras meant there was a need to consider owner-onus laws.