Article on AOL
Discussion
There is article linked to the AOL welcome page for members on the accident figures. Paul Smith is quoted extensively, and there is also a poll. The question is "Are Speed Cameras costing lives?" At the present moment 14,996 people have replied, of those 11,503 (77%) say yes and 3,463 (23%) say no.
Article says (for those on AOL can be found at http://channels.aolsvc.co.uk/news/article.adp?id=20040624082709990002): -
Cameras Slammed as Road Deaths Rise
Fatal road accidents are on the increase, new figures have revealed
Anti-speed camera activists have linked the spread of the devices to a shock rise in deaths on Britain's roads.
A total of 3,508 people died on the roads in 2003 - two per cent more than in 2002, the Department for Transport said.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said: "We are told that speed cameras save lives, but the figures are hopelessly flawed.
"Speed cameras also affect drivers' safety priorities - and not for the better."
Mr Smith argued that speed cameras do not actually cause drivers to slow down in dangerous areas.
Vote Now
He said: "I believe that all the indications point to speed cameras eroding this vital driver behaviour, and this is one of the most important factors that has led to the rise in road death.
"Keeping to the speed limit is not a terribly important road safety behaviour. Our motorways are the safest roads in the world, yet on some quieter sections more than 90 per cent of cars are exceeding the speed limit."
The total number of people killed or seriously injured last year was 37,215 - a six per cent reduction on the 2002 figure.
Overall, road casualties in 2003 totalled 290,607 - four per cent down on the 2002 figure.
Are cameras just there to make money?
Chat about the latest developments
Have your say on the message board
The statistics showed that child casualties fell by eight per cent in 2003. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2003 was 4,100 (down 11 per cent on 2002).
Of those, 2,381 were pedestrians - 16 per cent down on 2002.
Pedestrian casualties totalled 36,405 in 2003 - six per cent lower than 2002.
There were 774 pedestrian deaths, about the same level as 2002. Serious injuries fell by nine per cent to 7,159.
The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 12 per cent to 114. Total casualties among pedal cyclists fell marginally in 2003 to 17,033.
There were 28,411 two-wheeled motor vehicle user casualties in 2003 - 58 more than in 2002.
The number of those seriously injured increased one per cent to 6,959, but the number killed increased by 14 per cent to 693.
The number of deaths among car users in 2003 was 1,769 - one per cent more than in the previous year.
The number of those seriously injured fell by nine per cent to 15,522. Total casualties among car users was 188,342 - five per cent lower than 2002.
Provisional traffic estimates show a one per cent rise in car and taxi traffic.
Article says (for those on AOL can be found at http://channels.aolsvc.co.uk/news/article.adp?id=20040624082709990002): -
Cameras Slammed as Road Deaths Rise
Fatal road accidents are on the increase, new figures have revealed
Anti-speed camera activists have linked the spread of the devices to a shock rise in deaths on Britain's roads.
A total of 3,508 people died on the roads in 2003 - two per cent more than in 2002, the Department for Transport said.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, said: "We are told that speed cameras save lives, but the figures are hopelessly flawed.
"Speed cameras also affect drivers' safety priorities - and not for the better."
Mr Smith argued that speed cameras do not actually cause drivers to slow down in dangerous areas.
Vote Now
He said: "I believe that all the indications point to speed cameras eroding this vital driver behaviour, and this is one of the most important factors that has led to the rise in road death.
"Keeping to the speed limit is not a terribly important road safety behaviour. Our motorways are the safest roads in the world, yet on some quieter sections more than 90 per cent of cars are exceeding the speed limit."
The total number of people killed or seriously injured last year was 37,215 - a six per cent reduction on the 2002 figure.
Overall, road casualties in 2003 totalled 290,607 - four per cent down on the 2002 figure.
Are cameras just there to make money?
Chat about the latest developments
Have your say on the message board
The statistics showed that child casualties fell by eight per cent in 2003. The number of children killed or seriously injured in 2003 was 4,100 (down 11 per cent on 2002).
Of those, 2,381 were pedestrians - 16 per cent down on 2002.
Pedestrian casualties totalled 36,405 in 2003 - six per cent lower than 2002.
There were 774 pedestrian deaths, about the same level as 2002. Serious injuries fell by nine per cent to 7,159.
The number of pedal cyclists killed fell by 12 per cent to 114. Total casualties among pedal cyclists fell marginally in 2003 to 17,033.
There were 28,411 two-wheeled motor vehicle user casualties in 2003 - 58 more than in 2002.
The number of those seriously injured increased one per cent to 6,959, but the number killed increased by 14 per cent to 693.
The number of deaths among car users in 2003 was 1,769 - one per cent more than in the previous year.
The number of those seriously injured fell by nine per cent to 15,522. Total casualties among car users was 188,342 - five per cent lower than 2002.
Provisional traffic estimates show a one per cent rise in car and taxi traffic.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff