Safe Speed Forums

Speed cameras can cause erratic driving by motorists, according to a survey today.

As many as 81% of drivers said they looked at their speedometers rather than the road when a camera came into view, the poll by insurance company LV revealed.

And 5% admitted to braking suddenly when in sight of speed cameras, risking rear-end shunts.

The poll, of 1,532 drivers, also showed that 31% had witnessed an accident or a near-miss as a result of drivers' erratic behaviour when faced with a camera.

Almost half (46%) of those surveyed reckoned cameras diverted attention away from other areas of their driving, while 11% believed cameras actually increased the risk of an accident.

Also, 46% reckoned they existed only as a revenue raiser for the Government.

As many as 91% of those polled confessed to speeding, with 15% exceeding limits on a regular basis and 69% travelling at an average speed of 81 miles an hour on motorways. Only 9% said they never went over the speed limit.

LV insurance managing director John O'Roarke said: "Speed cameras have been a feature on UK roads for almost 20 years, yet the feedback from drivers is that while they may reduce speed they also appear to impair driving ability or, at the least, concentration on the road.

"As this report shows some drivers behave erratically and, at worst, dangerously around speed cameras."

He went on: "When driving it's important to maintain a constant speed within the legal limits on the road.

"Excessive speed contributes to 12% of all injury collisions, and we'd encourage drivers to stick to all speed limits and not wait for a camera to reduce their speed suddenly."

AA president Edmund King said: "We believe that far more crashes have been avoided as a result of cameras than the few that might have been caused by sudden braking.

"Contrary to some perceptions about an alleged 'war on the motorist', the majority of drivers accept the use of speed cameras. Our last AA/Populus poll of almost 15,000 drivers showed that 69% accepted the use of cameras. Our fear is that widespread scrapping of cameras may lead to more drivers ignoring the 30mph limits and therefore more crashes."

No shit is it the cameras that cause the poor driving due to poor obs or is it just drivers who drive above the speed limit and then when the check marks come into view cause the panic and the erratic driving. Ive been there and it is not the camera but the person behind the wheel .
Stephen

No shit is it the cameras that cause the poor driving due to poor obs or is it just drivers who drive above the speed limit and then when the check marks come into view cause the panic and the erratic driving. Ive been there and it is not the camera but the person behind the wheel.