Speed in Europe – get fined in UK

• EU reveals plans
• Drivers more likely to speed abroad
• European-wide laws will help reduce fatalities

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The European Parliament is set to introduce laws to ensure drivers caught speeding abroad won't be able to avoid prosecution.

In addition, MEPs demanded cross-European action to reduce the number of road fatalities.

Last year over 40,000 people died on Europe’s roads, with 75% of those fatalities a direct result of speeding, drink-driving, not wearing a seatbelt and failing to stop at red lights.

The legislation is part of a European Commission initiative to halve road deaths in Europe between 2001 and 2010. At the start of this decade, 54,000 people a year were killed.

Research has shown that non-resident drivers account for a disproportionately high number of road traffic accidents, particularly while speeding.

MEPs backed proposals to make it easier to impose fines across borders, to create legislation to allow a motorist's home authorities to chase fines imposed by other European nations and to introduce a European-wide electronic database of cars.