Safe Speed Forums

Safe Speed issued the following PR at 06:05 this morning:

PR258: 'Excessive speed' crashes increasing in the speed camera era

news: for immediate release

In response to a parliamentary question, Dr Ladyman (roads minister) revealed
that 'excessive speed' crashes have increased markedly in recent years as
the speed camera programme has expanded.

Percentage of crashes involving 'excessive speed':

Year fatal serious

1999 29% 12%
2000 26% 12%
2001 27% 12%
2002 30% 13%
2003 30% 14%
2004 34% 13%

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "It's no surprise to me that 'excessive speed'
crashes are increasing as speed camera expand. Speed cameras give a series of
false safety messages. One important false message is that 'if you're not
exceeding the limit your speed is safe'. Nothing could be further from
the truth, yet we have millions of motorists who now regard the speedometer as
a barometer of safety."

"We need drivers who respond to hazards and slow down in areas of danger.
Obeying the speed limit is no substitute for this vital and commonplace
driver behaviour, yet the government appears to wish motorists to drive at the
speed limit."

"If speed cameras did not reduce 'excessive speed' crashes they would be
useless. But if excessive speed crashes increase as speed cameras increase
then speed cameras are deadly. That's exactly what we're seeing and exactly
what I've long been predicting. Speed cameras have proved to be a fatal
mistake."

<ends>

Notes for editors
=================

Commons Hansard containing the new figures:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 122w19.htm

The next Hansard page provides the following table of the numbers of
additional fixed speed cameras installed each year since 1994:

1994 54
1995 133
1996 146
1997 160
1998 221
1999 183
2000 172
2001 200
2002 245
2003 312
2004 304

Spreadsheet containing the figures above, plus the accumulated total and a
graph:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr258.xls

Image file of graph:


An 'excessive speed' crash is one where Police have recorded 'excessive speed'
as one contributory factor out of a number of contributory factors. 'Excessive
speed' in these terms includes BOTH speed in excess of a speed limit AND speed
inappropriate for the conditions. Sample data indicates that 'inappropriate
speed is by far the more common type with at least 95% of all road crashes
taking place entirely within the speed limit.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

How much of these extras are due to either a) lowered limits so the same speed is now excess speed and b) political correctness in reporting? It is possible little has changed apart from the above factors and people are driving as well/badly as they always have

Is there anything in Stats 19 reporting/police reports about defective suspension being present? Excessive speed accidents (if there is no other party involved) are often on twisty, bumpy roads. I'd love to know if the proportion of cars invovlved in accidents with defective suspension was on the increase in those type of these accidents and in all accidents. If defective suspension could be implicated in at least 20% of them then you're looking at a reason to have all humps removed and all roads free from pot holes on serious safety grounds.

So speed cameras are working, then.

_________________
“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” - H. L. Mencken

My guess is that the number of crashes caused by speed is the same, it's just that police officers are putting it down as a cause more often, either because of the increased awareness of speed as a factor, or that they have been told to do so to give greater justification of speed enforcement.

Gareth

That's highly unlikely for fatal crashes (which is an excellent reason for choosing that indicator) because the standard of investigation is so high.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I am bound to ask the honourable gentleman if speed cameras cannot reduce excessive speed accidents.....then what is their purpose?

That would seem to be the obvious question ... shame Mrs Dunwoody didn't ask it.

There's still time...

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

If the medicine's not working, we need to increase the dose.

(a sarcastic one though)

Did you notice the topic Ladyman on Top Gear (This forum) There's some discussion about it there.

_________________
Useless laws weaken necessary laws.