No Excuse? It seems some drivers still think there is.

Dorset Road Safe has announced the latest line of ridiculous reasons given by drivers flouting the law, as it says the scheme has reduced casualties by 18 per cent.

The organisation said fewer people had been killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads in the past 18 months compared to the 18 months before No Excuse was launched in January 2010.

But some are still trying to get away with it.

Dorset Road Safe said they were not impressed when a van driver in Poole said the reason he ran a red light was because he was reading his sat-nav.

A taxi driver in Bournemouth was caught driving at 49mph on a road with a 30mph speed limit. He offered the excuse: “My fare got up late so he’s in a hurry.”

A woman caught reading what appeared to be a map book as she drove through Blandford said: “It wasn’t a map book I was reading, it was a magazine.”

A van driver in Weymouth was stopped for having a ‘for sale’ sign stuck on both front windows that restricted his view so much that he had to bend down to see if the road was clear enough for him to pull out.

Another Weymouth driver was left unimpressed after receiving a fixed penalty for stopping on the zig-zags at a crossing to do a scratch card.

Dorset Road Safe also said that the number of offences processed by them had fallen eight per cent so far this year, indicating that drivers on the whole are listening.

Brian Austin, No Excuse project manager, said: “Although we are pleased with the increase in drivers wearing their seatbelts, it is important we don’t become complacent.

“There have been collisions in Dorset where those choosing not to wear a seatbelt have suffered life-changing injuries and we must continue with our goal to change the mindset of those willing to take these risks.

“It is extremely disappointing to note that the percentage of drivers putting themselves and other road users at risk by using their mobile phone while driving remains unchanged at 16 per cent of tickets issued in September.”

A total of 11 motorists received a ticket for driving while distracted and 22 drivers were caught driving without valid insurance or MOT in September.

Mr Austin added: “We will continue to educate the bad and careless drivers using Dorset’s roads.”