PR177: Speed camera causes high speed crash in Norfolk

News: for immediate release

In a frightening display of arrogance the The Norfolk Speed Camera
Partnership have branded motorists 'lunatics' after their camera van
caused a dangerous high speed crash on the A11. Safe Speed says the
direct danger caused by over zealous speed enforcement is far greater
than the potential benefit.

Safe Speed believes that it is very important to police the roads
effectively and nutters at dangerous speeds should be targeted. But
the speed camera program does not sort out the nutters from normal
responsible motorists travelling at safe and appropriate speeds
according to the conditions. We need proper Police traffic officers
making appropriate judgements according to the circumstances and the
manner of driving.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "The trouble with speed cameras is that
they come with side effects. Some of the side effects are extremely
dangerous to road safety as this case shows. Speed camera operation
must be suspended immediately until such time as we have good
scientific information that they make the roads safer overall. It is
unlikely that any such information will ever exist because speed
cameras are proven not to change drivers' speeding behaviour - all
they do is cause fines and distractions."

Safe Speed calls for an immediate end to all speed camera operations
on the grounds that they have an overall negative effect on road
safety.

Paul said: "It's very simple. Deaths are up. Speed camera fines are
up. The speed camera programme is exposed as a dangerous failure.
Let's make speed cameras as socially unacceptable as drink driving."


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Notes for editors:
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Eastern Daily Press article:
http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBr\
and=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED10%20Mar%202005%2021%3A52%3A44%3
A080

Paul Smith can be seen on Anglia TV this evening commenting on the
issues.

About Safe Speed
================

The Safe Speed road safety campaign is primarily the work of engineer-
turned road safety analyst Paul Smith.

Since setting up Safe Speed in 2001, Paul Smith, 49, an advanced
motorist and road safety enthusiast, and a professional engineer of 25
years UK experience, has carried out over 8,000 hours of research
into the overall effects of speed camera policy on UK road safety. We
believe that this is more work in more detail than anything carried out by
any other organisation. Paul's surprising conclusion is that overall speed
cameras make our roads more dangerous. Paul has identified and reported
a number of major flaws and false assumptions in the claims made for
speed cameras, and the whole "speed kills" system of road safety.

The inescapable conclusion is that we should urgently return to the
excellent road safety policies that gave us in the UK the safest roads
in the World in the first place.

Safe Speed does not campaign against speed limits or appropriate
enforcement of motoring laws, but argues vigorously that automated
speed enforcement is neither safe nor appropriate.


Contact Safe Speed:
=================

description: Safe Speed road safety campaign
web: http://www.safespeed.org.uk
email: psmith@...
telephone: 01862 832000 24 hours.
mobile: 07799 045553
note: the mobile does not work well at our office. Always try land
line first.
Location: North Scotland

We are available for further comment.

To be added to our PR distribution list send an email to
psmith@... or visit our press pages at:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/prindex.html