Safe Speed Forums

Motorists distrust speed cameras
17 June 2011

Less than a third (29 per cent) of Britain’s motorists think that speed cameras are only used at sites with a bad record of crashes and injuries, and 50 per cent think that raising money is their primary aim, according to Public Opinions of Speed Cameras, the latest research report from road safety charity the IAM.

The survey of more than 1,000 respondents also shows that support generally for speed cameras is high at 79 per cent. The highest level of support is in London (85 per cent approval) and the lowest in the North East (67 per cent).

Seventy per cent of motorists agree that speed awareness courses are a better idea than prosecution. The greatest support for this is among 17 to 24 year-olds with 82 per cent in agreement. In contrast, 65 per cent of the over-65s think they are a good replacement for prosecution.

The survey found less support for using the income from these courses to fund cameras – 48 per cent support this, but 34 per cent actively disagree. However, 17 to 24 year-olds are once again the most likely to support the proposal.

Eighty-one per cent of all respondents think that speed cameras contributed to falling road death rates over the past decade and nearly half of all respondents think that road deaths and serious injuries would increase if cameras were turned off.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “Support for cameras is strong as is support for speed awareness training rather than fines or points.
“Prosecuting and fining drivers does not improve driving skills or awareness of the hazards of excessive speed. Training would reduce the number of casualties and prosecutions. That so many young people want this is very positive.
“Many motorists are still cynical about the aims and deployment of speed cameras and much more work needs to be done to dispel their negative perceptions. In times of cut-backs to police budgets, speed cameras are an essential part of the policing toolkit, but it’s clear that the public need reassuring about their purpose and funding.

The survey of more than 1,000 respondents

And I thought it was only Greenshield who was crap at maths...

so they are wrong as well

Could it be that the courses that they are running are bringing in much needed income ?

What's wrong with just telling the truth?

RTTM and BOS are very relevant terms and describe the underhand tactics SCP's use to justify their position.

They get away with it because of the public's apathy and ignorance of these terms.

its an IAM poll not SCP not Brake

The owner of the poll is irrelevant.
The misleading claims by the SCPs have pervaded well beyond the SCP domain.

that must be the most desperate post that you have ever made, have the SCP infiltrated the media as well, maybe theyare responsible for fuel rises and phone tapping, i see on pepipoo Anton has been caught in Hampshire surely here must be calls for entrapment there

You have read something that isn't there (in much like same way as SCPs seeing camera benefit where there's none)

To clarify for you:
Participation in the IAM poll does not mean those who took part were aware of, or understood the implications of, RTTM.

A question for you, such that you can get some perspective:
What percentage of the respondents of the IAM poll do you think were aware of, and understood, RTTM?

Given that figure isn't 100%: would the support of cameras have been lower if everyone knew about and understood RTTM?

no disrespect steve but IMO RTTM is a dated and boring fact