Safe Speed Forums

Published this morning:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/d ... 613879.pdf

I'm reading it now.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Only scanned the first couple of pages, but I almost fell off my chair...



Looks like the hard work really is starting to pay off.

I'll try to read the rest of it when I get time.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Safe Speed issued the following PR at: 13:36 this afternoon:

PR422: Reality Bites: Research shows that DfT is out of touch

news: for immediate release

A survey of young drivers published today by Department for Transport reveals
that DfT messages are a big 'turn off' and are not even seen as sensible, let
alone credible.

The report: "The good, the bad and the talented - young drivers perspectives"
by consultants SHM found:

"A small number of participants included being law-abiding in their definitions
of good driving, but this was disputed by other participants. The majority
perspective was that the laws and rules of driving were things to be followed
not for their own sake, but only:

* if they were judged to be genuinely relevant to the safety of driving as a
physical activity;

* if they coincided with what were believed to be the norms of driving as a
social activity;

* in order to avoid penalties.

However, it is striking that when participants talked about the laws and rules
of driving, they tended to focus on the ones they found objectionable. Laws and
rules are only noticed when they are seen to be ‘stupid’ or ‘pointless’. One of
the reasons why the formal laws and rules of driving were perceived by some to
be distant from the realities of driving was that laws or rules thought to be
sensible and relevant (like stopping at a red light) were seen as common sense
or part of the ‘unwritten rules’ of driving.

Participants were sceptical about whether the process of learning for and
passing the test contributed to good driving, for a number of reasons.

* The kind of driving required in the test is believed to be very different
from ‘real driving’.

* The learning experience leading up to the test is not believed to cover
enough real situations

* with motorway driving being a particular concern."

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "The message from young drivers to the Department
for Transport could not be clearer. They are saying:

* they do not want to be treated like idiots or incompetents

* the rules do not define 'real driving'"

"Clearly Department for Transport is failing to engage with young drivers, and
as such is comprehensively failing to assist them on the path to becoming safe
and experienced. DfT initiative such as speed cameras are resulting in contempt
for official road safety messages."

"Department for Transport must re-align its policies in order to gain the trust
of our drivers in general and young drivers in particular. Everyone knows that
road safety is about so much more than rules compliance - our drivers need
believable messages about the skills, the attitudes and the responsibilities
that underpin road safety in the real world."

<ends>

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety