Motorists can name and shame bad drivers on an Oxfordshire man's new website. Drivers and pedestrians can report bad driving to www.betterdrivingplease.com - complete with the errant motorist's licence plate number - in the latest example of cyber-policing.

Andrew McGavin, from Burford, hopes the website will make roads safer. Offences are rated on a traffic light system, with the worst getting a red light and a more minor incident receiving an amber light.

Particularly good or courteous driving can also be reported on the site and is given a green light. The site's home page states: "It's a jungle out there... hundreds of thousands of relatively un-policed road-miles.

"Time for us road users, pedestrians and drivers to report abuses we all see every day but few report."

Mr McGavin came up with the idea when he attended a local meeting about speeding and dangerous driving in villages.

He said: "In rural villages there are 30mph speed limits, but people race through at 40mph or 50mph. If a kid steps out, they are dead. I came out thinking there is a problem here, there is a need and that's where the idea came from."

Although it only went live a month ago, the site already has 650 members and contains 193 reports.

Mr McGavin added: "When we are out driving we think how can they get away with that?' The problem is there are no police officers around.

"People decide they are not going to go to a police station to report an incident of bad driving and that's a real shame."

People using the site can either search through the reports or type in a specific number plate to see if anyone else has witnessed an incident of bad driving by that vehicle before.

The site does not identify drivers or give a description of vehicles reported. Mr McGavin said: "What we are looking for here is to change the culture. We all drive around in our little bubbles, not realising we are in a killing machine."

He claimed: "The police have given us encouragement. They have said it may provide information, but it may also reduce physical rage as well because it is an outlet."

Mr McGavin does not envisage the site being abused by people making false accusations because members have to give their email address when they join and their internet protocol details are logged.

Police declined to comment, but Paul Watters, the head of roads and transport police at the AA Motoring Trust, said: "We don't like things like this. We don't think they will be used legitimately.

"Let's leave bad driving to the police and the authorities. Someone may do something that seems wrong but it has to be weighed up with all the evidence and that is why the police are needed.

"With regard to it acting as an outlet for people to vent their anger, are drivers really going to remember a number plate in a tense situation?"