Interesting - Taken from a Police site
Discussion
The number of careless drivers caught by police in England and Wales has fallen from 180,500 in 1981 to 91,700 in 2001 a 50% reduction. The number of drivers caught with defective or illegal lights, or excessively noisy cars, fell from 227,700 in 1981 to 45,600 in 2001, a fall of 80%.
Over the same period the number of speeding tickets has risen by 300% from 343,000 in 1981 to 1.4m in 2001. For the first time more than 1m, or 72%, of all speeding offences were the result of drivers being caught by cameras. Some police chiefs have said they expect the number of fines to top 3m by 2004.
"Speed cameras are a very important weapon in trying to improve the way that people drive, but they can't cover everywhere and more importantly they don't do the things which we used to do as old-time traffic cops: actually arrest people for bad driving," says Chief Superintendent Mike McAndrew, the former head of traffic for the Metropolitan police and a spokesman for the Superintendents' Association."That's why careless, dangerous and reckless prosecutions have gone down. Cops don't have the time to deal with them any more, but that is what causes collisions and so we ought to be tackling it."
Assuming there has not been a massive improvement in driving standards over the past decade, the statistics suggest far less of a watchful eye is being kept on the roads. Between 1991 and 2001 the number of drivers dealt with by police for ignoring road signs, traffic lights, or failing to give right of way to pedestrians fell by 30%, even though cameras at traffic lights caught 63,000 drivers. The number of dangerous drivers dealt with by police fell by 21%, while prosecutions for overloading fell 64%. The number of people hurt in accidents rose slightly over the same period, from 311,000 to 313,000.
Campaigners point to the large numbers of illegal customised numberplates and lights that are paraded on city streets without provoking any police action. There is also a sense of generally worsening driving standards, with more motorists prepared to ignore bus lanes, zebra crossings and so on. The Institute of Advanced Motorists has warned that the law-abiding driver only needs to see others getting away with it a few times before deciding he might as well join them.
"There is a sense of falling morale, and that technology in all its forms is replacing the role of the traffic officer," says one policeman. "We have a commitment to police the motorways but on other roads we don't have an obligation to maintain a level of service, as long as there is someone available to deal with a serious accident. The job is becoming more reactive that preventative."
Experts are also concerned that a perceived withdrawal of police from the roads and the reduction in the number of roadside check-ups is encouraging the growth of the "motoring underclass" that is, drivers without insurance, MoTs or even licences. A recent study suggested that as many as 1m people drive without the proper permits.
Research from the Home Office and the Transport Research Laboratory showing that criminals are more likely to commit driving offences than law-abiding citizens. The argument follows that traffic police stopping someone for erratic driving or defective lights for example might then discover the proceeds of a robbery, or that the driver is wanted in connection with a serious, non-motoring crime. "A speed camera can give out thousands of tickets a year, but it can't catch burglars, rapists and murderers, or even dangerous drivers, drunk-drivers and so on,"
POLICING BY CAMERA?? OFFENCE TOTALS
In order of: Offences description; year 1991; year 2001; %change
Dangerous Driving 12,200; 9,600; -21%
Careless Driving 128,800; 91,700; -29%
Lighting and noise offences 88,100; 45,600; -48%
Overloading 44,100; 15,800; -64%
Vehicle condition offences 624,700; 96,200; -21%
Failing to stop or report an accident 53,900; 30,400; -44%
Ignoring traffic signs and pedestrian crossings 320,700; 224,900; -30%
Speeding 637,000; 1,400,700; +120%
Source: Home Office. Figures relate to offences formally dealt with by
police in England and Wales
Over the same period the number of speeding tickets has risen by 300% from 343,000 in 1981 to 1.4m in 2001. For the first time more than 1m, or 72%, of all speeding offences were the result of drivers being caught by cameras. Some police chiefs have said they expect the number of fines to top 3m by 2004.
"Speed cameras are a very important weapon in trying to improve the way that people drive, but they can't cover everywhere and more importantly they don't do the things which we used to do as old-time traffic cops: actually arrest people for bad driving," says Chief Superintendent Mike McAndrew, the former head of traffic for the Metropolitan police and a spokesman for the Superintendents' Association."That's why careless, dangerous and reckless prosecutions have gone down. Cops don't have the time to deal with them any more, but that is what causes collisions and so we ought to be tackling it."
Assuming there has not been a massive improvement in driving standards over the past decade, the statistics suggest far less of a watchful eye is being kept on the roads. Between 1991 and 2001 the number of drivers dealt with by police for ignoring road signs, traffic lights, or failing to give right of way to pedestrians fell by 30%, even though cameras at traffic lights caught 63,000 drivers. The number of dangerous drivers dealt with by police fell by 21%, while prosecutions for overloading fell 64%. The number of people hurt in accidents rose slightly over the same period, from 311,000 to 313,000.
Campaigners point to the large numbers of illegal customised numberplates and lights that are paraded on city streets without provoking any police action. There is also a sense of generally worsening driving standards, with more motorists prepared to ignore bus lanes, zebra crossings and so on. The Institute of Advanced Motorists has warned that the law-abiding driver only needs to see others getting away with it a few times before deciding he might as well join them.
"There is a sense of falling morale, and that technology in all its forms is replacing the role of the traffic officer," says one policeman. "We have a commitment to police the motorways but on other roads we don't have an obligation to maintain a level of service, as long as there is someone available to deal with a serious accident. The job is becoming more reactive that preventative."
Experts are also concerned that a perceived withdrawal of police from the roads and the reduction in the number of roadside check-ups is encouraging the growth of the "motoring underclass" that is, drivers without insurance, MoTs or even licences. A recent study suggested that as many as 1m people drive without the proper permits.
Research from the Home Office and the Transport Research Laboratory showing that criminals are more likely to commit driving offences than law-abiding citizens. The argument follows that traffic police stopping someone for erratic driving or defective lights for example might then discover the proceeds of a robbery, or that the driver is wanted in connection with a serious, non-motoring crime. "A speed camera can give out thousands of tickets a year, but it can't catch burglars, rapists and murderers, or even dangerous drivers, drunk-drivers and so on,"
POLICING BY CAMERA?? OFFENCE TOTALS
In order of: Offences description; year 1991; year 2001; %change
Dangerous Driving 12,200; 9,600; -21%
Careless Driving 128,800; 91,700; -29%
Lighting and noise offences 88,100; 45,600; -48%
Overloading 44,100; 15,800; -64%
Vehicle condition offences 624,700; 96,200; -21%
Failing to stop or report an accident 53,900; 30,400; -44%
Ignoring traffic signs and pedestrian crossings 320,700; 224,900; -30%
Speeding 637,000; 1,400,700; +120%
Source: Home Office. Figures relate to offences formally dealt with by
police in England and Wales
Hedders said:
Vehicle condition offences 624,700; 96,200; -21%
You sure they got their figures right?
good article though
This is exactly how it appeared on a Police website, sent to me by "a friend on the force". As it states at the bottom that it is taken from an official home office report, I can only presume that the figures are correct.
I'm sure that some of the police officers on here will have access to this info also, so they can confirm it if required.
"Research from the Home Office and the Transport Research Laboratory showing that criminals are more likely to commit driving offences than law-abiding citizens." - so the trick now is to set up the scameras so they only catch criminals ... who will cheerfully pay the fine and accept the points.
[iwonderwhytheydidntthinkofthatbeforemodeoff]
[iwonderwhytheydidntthinkofthatbeforemodeoff]
A response from T2000.
"Thank you for this.
We are very concerned by the drop in traffic policing. We believe that it needs to be a core police activity, not least because of evidence (not quoted in your report) that people who commit traffic offences are more likely to be involved in other criminal activity. This means that traffic policing (for example enforcing bus lanes and disabled parking spaces) will be effective at targeting criminal activity.
We do not however believe that this negates the need for speed cameras. We think that speeding is a problem, for road safety and for other reasons; that excessive speed is implicated in a large number of crashes and casualties (we know that this is challenged by some motoring groups, but we believe that they are distorting the evidence here). We believe that the speed camera partnerships, where money raised from speeding fines is spent on maintaining the cameras, are working and are reducing road casualties.
I hope this is helpful.
Stephen Joseph, Director, Transport 2000
Telephone: 020 7613 0743 x 105"
"Thank you for this.
We are very concerned by the drop in traffic policing. We believe that it needs to be a core police activity, not least because of evidence (not quoted in your report) that people who commit traffic offences are more likely to be involved in other criminal activity. This means that traffic policing (for example enforcing bus lanes and disabled parking spaces) will be effective at targeting criminal activity.
We do not however believe that this negates the need for speed cameras. We think that speeding is a problem, for road safety and for other reasons; that excessive speed is implicated in a large number of crashes and casualties (we know that this is challenged by some motoring groups, but we believe that they are distorting the evidence here). We believe that the speed camera partnerships, where money raised from speeding fines is spent on maintaining the cameras, are working and are reducing road casualties.
I hope this is helpful.
Stephen Joseph, Director, Transport 2000
Telephone: 020 7613 0743 x 105"
and my reply
"Dear Stephen,
Thank you for your quick response. I agree cameras play an important part in reducing speed related accidents but only when sited in appropriate blackspots not for revenue generation. I note you feel that some motoring groups have been guilty of statistic ‘massaging’ all I can say is that statistics have been manipulated by all parties and as such should be mistrusted. The report I sent to you was from a Police website so who can we trust? I think we all want the same thing but T2000 can be seen to be somewhat single minded in their approach and definitely anticar. By the way a friend of mine has just been caught speeding, he is a Policeman"
"Dear Stephen,
Thank you for your quick response. I agree cameras play an important part in reducing speed related accidents but only when sited in appropriate blackspots not for revenue generation. I note you feel that some motoring groups have been guilty of statistic ‘massaging’ all I can say is that statistics have been manipulated by all parties and as such should be mistrusted. The report I sent to you was from a Police website so who can we trust? I think we all want the same thing but T2000 can be seen to be somewhat single minded in their approach and definitely anticar. By the way a friend of mine has just been caught speeding, he is a Policeman"
s2ooz said:
if cameras are acredited for the jump in speeding offences, surely the police have MORE time for the other offences, not less as stated?
Not if they save money by reducing the number of trafpol. Last weeks BBC Traffic Cops show said that S Yorks had reduced their number from (IIRC) 150 to 110.
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