Dear Sir
We should have been more explicit in our language on this story. Even
saying that speed was a 'factor' would have been more accurate. In our
introduction we talked about 'dangerous' driving rather than 'speeding'
and the core part of the story - the Europe wide campaign - was correct.
We do try to be careful with the use of statistics and this will serve
as a reminder about the caution needed .
Adam Bullimore
Acting Deputy Editor, BBC Breakfast
-----Original Message-----
From: ************@tiscali.co.uk
Sent: 22 April 2008 14:50
To: NewsOnline Errors
Subject: Feedback [NewsWatch]
From: ****** Marsh
Email address: ************@tiscali.co.uk
Country: England
COMMENTS: Dear Sir, in the video story highlighted in the link below,
the reporter quotes a figure of one third of accidents caused by
speeding.
Even including inappropriate speed (below the limit) or cherry picking
FATAL accidents, none of the accepted figures are listed as one third
caused by speed!
Quote Guardian report on Stats 19:
<<<..exceeding the speed limit or going too fast for the conditions was
said to be a contributory factor in 15% of all accidents and 26% of
fatal accidents.>>>
I appreciate that the reporter might have been given this information by
the police - who supplied the misleading videos of cars crashing while
trying to avoid being caught speeding, and who should have been stopped,
not filmed!!
However it is a simple matter to check the facts against the DfT web
site.
****** Marsh, England
URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7358372.stmThe disclaimer on the site said they dont email people who contact them directly, but that my comments were welcomed.
Wonder why they followed up in this case and pulled the video? Maybe they didn't like being dropped in it by the police figures they quoted?