A recent study conducted by the Centre for the Study of Integrity, which was set up by the University of Essex, suggests that motoring offences such as drink driving, speeding and failing to stop and report an accident are becoming more socially acceptable when compared to societal views that were held in the year 2000.

What the study seems to suggest is that when it comes to certain motoring offences there has been 11 years of moral decay, especially amongst the male population under the age of 25. So, should we be worried? Is the nation full of speeding, teenage, car crashing boy racers? Are we looking at a new generation of potential 'road terrorists'?

It is only when you take a step back and consider the results of the study objectively do you start to think; wait a minute, what do these findings ACTUALLY mean? First of all how many of the people surveyed actually drive? There are 38 million driving licence holders in the UK. With a population of nearly 60 million that is quite a high percentage you may think? However, despite there being so many licence holders there are only 3 million cars on the road. Do any of the people surveyed hold a full UK driving licence? If so, how many have driven a car unsupervised since passing their test?

Does the fact that young people are less inclined to admonish their peers for drink driving or speeding mean that they themselves are likely to drink drive or commit a speeding offence? Surely young drivers are now becoming a danger on our roads.

I would tend to disagree. Figures released by the Department for Transport in October 2011 show that out of approximately 35,000 accidents resulting in injury involving people under the age of 25, only 3.4% of them failed a breath test at the roadside. The fact that conviction rates for motoring offences dealt with in the Magistrates' Courts are falling would suggest that maybe not all of the people arrested for drink driving or speeding are convicted. It goes without saying that solicitors like yours truly have played a significant role in reducing the court's conviction rates.

What cannot be denied is the lack of education amongst the nation's drivers, both young and old, with regards to the effects of drink driving and speeding. Presently, if convicted of an alcohol related motoring offence or accused of a speeding offence, a person may be invited to complete a course. Both the Drink Driver Rehabilitation Course and Speed Awareness Course are fantastic vehicles for demonstrating the somewhat devastating effects drink driving and speeding can have, on not only the driver's life but the lives of others.

These courses appear to be the Government's way of providing the general public with 'after the event' insurance; a form of reassurance that those convicted of speeding or drink driving will be rehabilitated and will not reoffend.

Perhaps they should think about providing these courses to all learner/new drivers? Better still, they could make these courses compulsory for all current driving licence holders? Why should the Government be reactive when they can be proactive? Finance and manpower are likely to be the main obstacles to this idea.

Have changing attitudes resulted in more motoring offences being committed? Personally, I take the view that over the last ten years the status quo has been maintained. Reported figures relating to the number of motoring offences that are being committed throughout England and Wales fluctuate year by year, region by region.

Attitudes may be changing but the one thing that remains consistent is the law!