Hi all,
We've been reported on Teletext, Ceefax, Freeview news, BBCi, The BBC News Website and Sky news web site today. It all stems from our PR:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr110.html
Here's the Sky Piece:
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,3 ... 13,00.html
SPEEDING LOW DOWN LIST
Speeding is only the seventh most-frequent cause of road accidents in the UK, Department of Transport statistics have shown.
Inattention followed by failure to judge another driver's path or speed topped the list released by the Safe Speed campaign group.
Based on data from police forces, the figures also showed that more accidents were caused by motorists looking but not seeing, drivers being careless and drivers failing to look than by excessive speed.
For accident cause purposes, "excessive speed" includes both speed in excess of the speed limit and inappropriate speed for the conditions.
The Safe Speed group said that data from one police force - Avon and Somerset - revealed that 70% of "excessive speed" instances took place within the speed limit.
The Safe Speed campaign's founder Paul Smith said: "It should be obvious that the modern emphasis on speed-limit enforcement by camera risks increasing these common accident types.
"Precious and vital driver attention is diverted to the speedometer, speed limits and the risk of speed enforcement operations.
"The authorities must now acknowledge that `speed kills' road safety policy backed with speed cameras is not benefiting road safety.
"The policy is wasted on attempting to solve a problem that simply does not exist."
According to the latest data, the most-frequent contributory factors to accidents are:
1. Inattention
2. Failure to judge other person's path or speed
3. Looked but did not see
4. Behaviour - careless, thoughtless or reckless
5. Failed to look
6. Lack of judgment of own path
7. Excessive speed.
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And the BBC News Piece:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3597917.stm
Tackling road safety with speed cameras is a waste of time, according to a campaign group.
Safe Speed said government figures showed speeding was the seventh most frequent cause of UK road accidents.
Inattention and poor judgement of other drivers' speeds were more likely to lead to accidents, figures suggested.
Safe Speed said the 'speed kills' policy was not helping road safety and was "a policy wasted".
The Department of Transport figures showed inattentive and careless drivers and drivers failing to look were more likely factors in road accidents than excessive speeding.
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Boxout:
ROAD ACCIDENT CAUSES
Inattention
Failure to judge other's path or speed
Looking but not seeing
Careless and reckless behaviour
Failure to look
Lack of judgement of own path
Excessive speed
Source: Department of Transport
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Campaign founder Paul Smith said: "The modern emphasis on speed-limit enforcement by cameras risks increasing these common accident types.
"The authorities must now acknowledge that 'speed kills' road safety policy backed with speed cameras is not benefiting road safety.
"The policy is wasted on attempting to solve a problem that simply does not exist," he added.
In the government report, speeding as a cause included excessive speeds as well as driving at inappropriate speeds according to conditions.
The Safe Speed group said data from Avon and Somerset police showed 70% of "excessive speed" cases took place within the speed limit.
In Norfolk, an investigation is underway to review a partnership team charged with monitoring speed cameras following motorists' accusations that cameras are sited to raise revenue, not save lives.
But Partnership Board Chairman Supt Mark Veljovic said: "Over the last three years the figures show that where speed cameras have been sited there has been a 60% reduction in casualties in the county."
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Like I said, it's looking like a very good day.