What is an accident hot spot?
Discussion
Recently local TV broadcast news of a fatal traffic accident. Two cars had collided, killing two drivers and two passenger. A local official at the crash site called for the installation of a scamera.
In view of the guideline:"A site is considered as a collision "hot spot" if there has been four killed or seriously injured per kilometre on that road over the last three-year period." does this mean that a single traffic accident can meet the guideline requirements?
In view of the guideline:"A site is considered as a collision "hot spot" if there has been four killed or seriously injured per kilometre on that road over the last three-year period." does this mean that a single traffic accident can meet the guideline requirements?
I think a single accident could be used for justification for a camera.
It also explains the reduction in ksi stats at camera sites some partnerships are bandying about at the moment.
Consider a tragic accident where 4 people die on an otherwise safe piece of road, with few accidents normally. This causes a blip in the accident statistics for that piece of road. The chances of that happening again next year are small, whether or not you put up a camera. A camera is put up and the blip goes away. The partnership hails it as a success and the stats show a reduction in ksi at this site. Did the camera cause the reduction? No, it would have happened anyway.
Thats probably an over simplification, but the effect is very real. Paul Smith has a page on this at www.safespeed.org.uk/rttm.html
It also explains the reduction in ksi stats at camera sites some partnerships are bandying about at the moment.
Consider a tragic accident where 4 people die on an otherwise safe piece of road, with few accidents normally. This causes a blip in the accident statistics for that piece of road. The chances of that happening again next year are small, whether or not you put up a camera. A camera is put up and the blip goes away. The partnership hails it as a success and the stats show a reduction in ksi at this site. Did the camera cause the reduction? No, it would have happened anyway.
Thats probably an over simplification, but the effect is very real. Paul Smith has a page on this at www.safespeed.org.uk/rttm.html
I know this is an old thread, but thought I`d resurrect it for a bit.
Since the original thread, we have had the awful crash on the A23 (close to my home)in which six died. It is a lovely piece of road which seems to have an average speed of 80-90mph (HGVs excepted). To my knowledge, most other serious accidents in this area were not due to excessive speed (falling asleep, vehicle defect etc). Obviously this one crash will affect the figures, and I foresee scammeras being erected in the near future.
False logic can also be detected on the A24 between Horsham and Washington. I have personally attended many fatal accidents on this piece of road in the past. Most, if not all were "crossover" accidents as there was no barrier on the central reservation. So what happens? Instead of considered traffic management i.e armco and redesigning of some junctions, we get a 60mph scammera. Only a cynic would thing that the cheaper(and potentially profitable) option was taken, rather than a concerted effort to save lives
Since the original thread, we have had the awful crash on the A23 (close to my home)in which six died. It is a lovely piece of road which seems to have an average speed of 80-90mph (HGVs excepted). To my knowledge, most other serious accidents in this area were not due to excessive speed (falling asleep, vehicle defect etc). Obviously this one crash will affect the figures, and I foresee scammeras being erected in the near future.
False logic can also be detected on the A24 between Horsham and Washington. I have personally attended many fatal accidents on this piece of road in the past. Most, if not all were "crossover" accidents as there was no barrier on the central reservation. So what happens? Instead of considered traffic management i.e armco and redesigning of some junctions, we get a 60mph scammera. Only a cynic would thing that the cheaper(and potentially profitable) option was taken, rather than a concerted effort to save lives
Yep, paul's site has it covered. Basically you could put garden gnomes at the sites with an upward blip and then claim that they reduced the accidents over the following year....
This is why the Scamera partnerships are not being very forthcoming about the 2003 figures. The blip has gone, so they can't claim year on year decreases. the focus has also gone on reducing speed rather than increasing safety, so in many counties the KSI levels have increased.
This is why the Scamera partnerships are not being very forthcoming about the 2003 figures. The blip has gone, so they can't claim year on year decreases. the focus has also gone on reducing speed rather than increasing safety, so in many counties the KSI levels have increased.
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