The papers and TV are full of the headlines about casualties and road deaths being in dramatic decline (all of a sudden). However, the Department for Transport has waited until this morning to release data regarding the causes of crashes on our roads.
Road safety organisation Safe Speed claims that their analysis of the figures shows that just four per cent of injury crashes in 2005 were caused by vehicles exceeding speed limits.
The official press release muddies the waters by not drawing a distinction between speed limits and exceeding safe speeds for the conditions:
"Exceeding the speed limit or going too fast for conditions were reported as a contributory factor in 15 per cent of all accidents. However, the factor became more significant with the severity of the accident; it was reported as contributory factor in 26 per cent of fatal accidents and these accidents accounted for 28 per cent of all fatalities (793 deaths)."
Safe Speed founder Paul Smith said: "Safe Speed has been pointing out for years that the concentration on speeding was a deadly mistake. First the DfT said one third of crashes were caused by speeding. Then 12 per cent. Now four per cent. Our entire road safety policy has been based on dodgy data. Department for Transport has been defending bad decisions and bad policy for years.
"Now it must stop. Speed cameras must be scrapped. Heads must roll. We must put skills and attitudes at the heart of the road safety agenda. The skills that matter are in concentration, observation, anticipation, risk recognition and risk management -- not car control or legal compliance."
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