http://www.lincolntoday.co.uk/ViewArtic ... ID=1793565
'Speeding is not the killer'
Information from the Department for Transport shows that speeding is not the biggest cause of road crashes.
The news that became public this morning states that only 4% of injury crashes in 2005 involved cars exceeding a speed limit.
The cause of the remaining 96% crashes has not been confirmed.
According to Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, the DfT's insistence that speed was the cause of most collisions was a 'deadly mistake'.
"Safe Speed has been pointing out for years that the concentration on speeding was a deadly mistake.
"First the DfT said one third of crashes were caused by speeding. Then 12%. Now 4%. Our entire road safety policy has been based on dodgy data.
"Department for Transport has been defending bad decisions and bad policy for years. Now it must stop. Speed cameras must be scrapped. Heads must roll."
Smith says that drivers' skills and attitudes should be at the centre of the road safety agenda.
"The skills that matter are in concentration, observation, anticipation, risk recognition and risk management," he said. "Not car control or legal compliance."
Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at road safety charity, Brake, agrees that bad attitudes behind the wheel put lives at risk and need to change.
"It's shocking that so many drivers are risking people's lives by doing things like eating and drinking at the wheel." She said.
"No-one would dream of attempting to multi-task like this while doing something equally dangerous, such as operating a chainsaw – yet so many people do when driving.
"Brake implores drivers to give their full attention to the road."
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