Speed cameras don't make it safer
A study published by the Transport Research laboratory, but not released to the public, has found that speed cameras do not make roadworks safer -- for either workers or drivers.
The report was exposed using the Freedom of Information Act by SafeSpeed's Paul Smith and comes soon after road safety group the Association of British Drivers discovered that driver inattention, not speeding, was the leading cause of motorway crashes (see related stories below).
The study, published in 2004 but not publicised or promoted, shows clearly that "No significant difference was observed in the accident rate for sites with and without speed cameras." In other words, speed cameras do not save lives in roadworks.
Mark McArthur-Christie, the ABD's road safety spokesman said: "Here is yet more data dug out using the FoI Act showing that cameras do not save lives and that speed is not a major cause of crashes. How much more do we need to see before the camera partnerships are disbanded and we can return to effective road safety policies?"
ABD chairman Brian Gregory said: "This is rapidly becoming a farce. Time and again we have to drag information out of camera partnerships - damaging information they'd rather keep in the dark. There is a culture of spin and secrecy that hides the true causes of crashes and the total lack of effectiveness of speed cameras from the public. It's time the Partnerships were made accountable."
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