PR562: 96% of rural road injury crashes do not involve speeding

SPEED CAMERAS HAVE BEEN A BILLION POUND RED HERRING

news: EMBARGO: 00:01am Wednesday 7th November 2007.

CORRECTED VERSION. (three typos)

A Safe Speed freedom of information request to Department for Transport has
revealed that 96% of rural road injury crashes in 2006 did not involve
exceeding a speed limit.

Of the remaining 4% that might, 2% were rated as 'very likely' to include
speeding, and 2% were rated as 'possibly' including speeding.

This is in stark and dramatic contrast with previous Department for Transport
claims that 'one third of crashes are caused by speeding'.

Figures for fatal crashes show that 7% were 'very likely' to include speeding
and 5% more 'possibly' included speeding. It should be obvious to anyone who
has examined the figures that a very large but unknown proportion of these
fatal crashes involved extraordinary reckless behaviours and certainly not
normal responsible motorists a few miles per hour over the speed limit."

Paul Smith, founder of SafeSpeed.org.uk, said: "These figures make an absolute
mockery of the speed camera programme. We have long known that it had failed to
save lives and this is why - we never had a 'speeding problem' in the first
place."

"It is remarkable to note that extraordinary reckless behaviours are included
in these figures. So the thrill seekers, the stolen cars, idiots motor racing
on the highway and high speed drunks are all included. Once these groups - who
will always ignore speed limits - are removed the number of speeding crashes
left over for the rest of us is close to zero."

"Department for Transport has had a nasty habit of adding 'too fast for the
conditions' figures to 'exceeding the speed limit' figures in an attempt to
exaggerate the dangers of speeding and justify their policies. The two should
NEVER be added because the first is a driver quality issue while the second
is a legal compliance issue. In short they are chalk and cheese and should not
ever be added."

"Department for Transport has spent over ten years barking up the wrong tree.
Will they now admit that they must address the true causes of rural road
crashes? If we want safer roads, we must address the 'human factors' that cause
well over 90% of road crashes."

"These figures reveal that speed cameras have been a billion pound red herring.
Even worse than that - while we have been fiddling about with the red herring
people have continued to die in large numbers of preventable crashes. DfT must
now own up to their mistake, scrap speed cameras and refocus national road
safety resources on actually saving British lives."

"Of course it is important that no one drives too fast - but neither the speed
limit nor the speed cameras can tell us what 'too fast' is. We absolutely
depend on judgement whether we like it or not."

<ends>

Notes for editors
=================

Three typographical errors corrected in this version. Apologies. It's been a
very busy day.

FoI reply will appear here:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2007/foinov2007

Presently available from:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/dftfoi001.doc


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

description: Safe Speed road safety campaign
web: http://www.safespeed.org.uk
email: psmith@...
mobile: 07799 045553
Tel: 01862 893030

Location: North Scotland

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