Apparently we made the Daily Express today from this PR issued yesterday at 15:20:
========================================
PR154: Safe Speed welcomes IAM speed camera stance
NEWS: For immediate release:
In a speech at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) annual lunch
today, John Maxwell, chairman of the IAM said: "Safety on UK roads
is at risk because drivers feel targeted, vulnerable and alienated".
Safe Speed has long been warning about these effects and is delighted
to hear that the IAM recognises the problems.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(
www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "Well over 80% of motorists are generally
law abiding and safety conscious. This large and important group are
capable of performing far better and driving down accident rates, but
to do so they need encouragement, involvement and above all highly
accurate safety messages. Many modern official road safety messages
are oversimplified to the point of being dangerously misleading."
Paul continues: "It's great to see the IAM recognising some of the
problems that we have been highlighting over the last three years.
There's a strong wind of change, and it can't come soon enough. Our
most careful analysis shows that the misuse of speed cameras has cost
many lives. People think it is obvious that slower is safer, but
crashes only happen when people make mistakes. Road safety entirely
depends on the psychological processes that lead to mistakes. All the
evidence suggests that we are significantly less effective at avoiding
mistakes in the speed camera era."
Paul continues: "It's obvious when you think about it - we're not
going to perform as well if we feel "targeted, vulnerable and
alienated". In road safety it should be very obvious that bad policy
costs lives. Speed cameras are a fundamental part of our modern bad
policy. They cost lives."
<ends>
Notes for editors:
==================
IAM PR on this subject, full text, forarded with permission:
===================================================
IAM CHIEF WARNS THAT DRIVER ALIENATION "IS NOT IN THE INTEREST
OF ROAD SAFETY"
Issued: 8 December 2004
Safety on UK roads is at risk because drivers feel "targeted,
vulnerable and alienated", said John Maxwell, chairman of the
Institute of Advanced Motorists today.
Speaking at the IAM's annual lunch in London, Mr Maxwell said
that motorists are made to believe that congestion, delay,
environmental pollution and, not least, the accident toll,
is all their fault.
"Car drivers and motorcyclists are not just part of the problem:
they can be and need to be - part of the solution.
Treat them fairly and get them back on-side, and there will be
a rapid pay-back not necessarily in the way that the Treasury
appears to understand best, but for road safety."
Specifically, it was the IAM's regret that there has been a "dismal
failure to 'sell' the safety benefits of speed cameras allowing
them, instead, to be misunderstood as instruments of entrapment
and fund-raising," said Mr Maxwell.
"Cameras are frequently sited where drivers believe them to be
unnecessary, with a trigger mechanism that is lacking in discretion
and penalty notices that arrive like overdue invoices.
Too many road-users believe that speed cameras are nothing more
than nice little earners, and that getting caught is less about
discouraging dangerous driving than playing a game of chance."
In fact, Mr Maxwell argued, cameras have a "legitimate and
valuable role in enforcing compliance, as distinct from ensuring
capture", and there must be an urgent review of camera locations.
In addition, all camera sites should clearly show the speed limit
at that point, with more repeater signs needed on restricted roads.
Mr Maxwell said: "Rehabilitating speed cameras re-defining them
as instruments of compliance, not capture would do much to
take the pressure off the vast majority of sensible drivers and
riders who need little persuading that safety is common sense
and should always come first."
Also necessary, says the IAM, is a review of speed limits,
recognising the change in enforcement methods. Limits need be
seen to be right if they are to earn respect and to be observed,
and the message must be that, whatever the speed limit, it is
inappropriate speed that kills.
There should, said Mr Maxwell, be an "imaginative and positive
response" to the Road Safety Bill, which already contains elements
of driver re-education. And there needs to be more, not fewer,
traffic police on UK roads. "A blue light and a sharp word will
always have more effect, and earn more respect, than electronic
surveillance and a penalty notice through the post."
Guest speaker at the IAM Annual Lunch was North Wales Chief
Constable and ACPO Head of Road Policing Richard Brunstrom.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. John Maxwell was previously Director General of the AA.
2. The full text of the IAM Annual Lunch speech is available from
the IAM Press Office, 020 8996 9600.
3. The IAM is the UK's leading advance driving organisation.
For nearly 50 years the IAM has been saving lives by enabling
people to drive and ride better.
4. For further information please contact Vince Yearley on
020 8996 9600 or visit
www.iam.org.uk, where a downloadable logo
image is available for media use.
For further information, contact:
Vince Yearley, IAM Press Officer, 020 8996 9600
<quoted IAM PR ends>
The Daily Express item didn't make the Scottish edition. Has anyone got today's Daily Express and can send me a scan? (Page 5 or 7, I believe)
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