| Susan Beck, National Safety Camera and Liaison
spokeswoman, explains how speed cameras save lives and have
the support of the public |
All motorists need to rediscover
driving within the limits |
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| “The camera’s primary
role is to reduce crashes by encouraging motorists to
slow down at known casualty hot spots” |
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We now have 42 Safety Camera Partnerships in the UK. Safety
Camera Partnerships are the strategic alliance of public sector
agencies who work together to achieve the casualty reduction targets
set by the government. These targets are to reduce the number
of people killed and seriously injured on our roads by 40% by
2010 and the number of children killed or seriously injured by
50% during the same period. A partnership is typically made up
of the local authority, the highway agency, the health authority,
the police and the courts. In a two-year report on the original
pilot partnerships, it was found they achieved a 35% reduction
in the number of people killed and seriously injured at camera
sites and a 56% reduction in the number of pedestrian casualties
at the same locations. This evidence counters any claims that
cameras only generate revenue. Their primary role is to reduce
crashes by encouraging motorists to slow down at known casualty
hot spots.
High levels of public support for safety cameras measured in
public opinion surveys reflect that over 80% of the public agree
that cameras are a good way to slow motorists down at known casualty
hot spots. There is equally strong support from road safety groups
and the main motoring organisations for the use of cameras in
accident prevention. There is no published evidence that safety
cameras increase accident risk, only unsubstantiated claims by
those opposed to them.
There have been various reports in the media about this scheme,
some misleading and some quite sensational. Let me set the record
straight. This scheme is dedicated to stamping out death and serious
injury on the roads. We engage local communities in self-help
solutions, such as encouraging local residents to sign a “no
speeding pledge” and we also provide good publicity about
where all the cameras will be and why they are necessary. There
is a “speeding” culture in the UK and it is estimated
that over 50% of drivers exceed the legal speed limit in 30mph
zones. There is strong evidence to prove that a 1mph reduction
in average speed can reduce crashes by up to 5%. Speeding is dangerous,
antisocial and illegal and must be discouraged. It is a criminal
offence, not a technical infringement.
Suggesting that cameras are distracting or are an easy alternative
to other road safety interventions is equally misleading. The
authorities involved in the partnerships investigate engineering
and other solutions before placing cameras, which should be regarded
as a measure of last resort. The safety camera netting-off scheme
is playing its part in casualty reduction. By placing cameras
at locations where, in the past, lives have been lost as a direct
result of driving too fast, we know we can prevent these high-speed
collisions from happening in the future. Then, the benefits of
safety cameras to society include reduced hospital admissions
as a result of fewer crashes with fewer casualties. We are persuading
motorists to drive within the legal speed limit at all times.
This is back to the classroom for some of us, as we discovered
the skill of driving within the limit when we first learned to
drive. So far, this scheme has made significant contributions
in reducing road deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
Every life lost through driving too fast is an unnecessary loss.
We owe it to all those who have suffered this kind of tragedy
to keep doing what we are doing and ensure the road network is
safer for everyone. Only drivers breaking the law need be concerned
about safety cameras and for them the solution is easy –
stick to the limit and you won’t get a ticket.
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