Safe Speed Forums

Friday, December 14, 2007
UK Road Safety Advocate Passes Away



The foremost critic of the UK's speed camera policy passed away last night.

Paul Smith, the founder of the SafeSpeed road safety campaign, died at the age of 52 at his home in Scotland. Smith had suffered two heart attacks previously, including one in August.

"I am totally stricken with grief as I loved him every day, and he me," Smith's girlfriend, Claire Armstrong, said, in delivering the sad news to SafeSpeed members.

Smith, a professional engineer, set up SafeSpeed in 2001 to advocate sensible road safety policy. His campaign provided both road safety analysis and a web forum funded entirely by individual member donations.

Rarely did a UK media article on photo enforcement fail to include a quotation or analysis from Smith. Armstrong vowed to keep the SafeSpeed forum active. "Paul's a brave man who stood up for what he believed in, the best memorial to him I'm quite sure, is to keep his work and SafeSpeed going," one SafeSpeed member wrote.

We at TheNewspaper offer our sincerest condolences to Claire and Paul's family.