research says speed cameras don't save lives

[feef]

From SafeSpeed:
Paul Smith (psmith@safespeed.org.uk) wrote:
PR196: Liverpool research says speed cameras don't save lives

NEWS: For immediate release

Soon-to-be-published research led by Dr Linda Mountain at Liverpool University reveals no significant benefit from speed cameras in terms of deaths or serious injuries even at speed camera sites.

The difference between the Liverpool findings and the Department for Transport (DfT) claims can be explained directly by the 'regression to the mean' (RTTM) error.
This error is incorporated in the DfT claims and those published by camera partnerships. The DfT is aware of the problem and have recently invited tenders for a new research project to investigate RTTM and speed camera side effects.

This is EXACTLY as the Safe Speed campaign has been warning for years.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign (www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "It's a great relief to see the truth about speed camera policy failure gradually coming out. Britain's motorists have been fined, lied to and distracted for far too long. Speed cameras are a £700 million policy failure. Far from saving lives they have displaced genuine life saving road safety policies resulting in considerable loss of life."

When speed cameras are put in the broader context, Safe Speed finds:

* No benefit at speed camera sites
* Drivers spend too much time speedo watching
* The Police/public relationship is badly affected
* False road safety message tend to make drivers believe that if their speed is legal is will be safe. Nothing could be further from the truth.
* Cameras have been used to replace valuable Police patrols
* Drivers are in fear of their driving licences and have become less effective at avoiding crashes.
* Most fines are issued to safe drivers travelling at safe and appropriate speeds.
* Despite 12 million fines issued drivers' speeding behaviour remains more or less unchanged.

The net effect of speed cameras on road safety has been absolutely awful. Safe Speed calls for the immediate scrapping of all speed cameras because the side effects are far greater than the dubious benefits.

Paul concludes: "You can't measure safe driving in miles per hour."

<ends>

Notes for editors:
Presentation of findings by Dr Linda Mountain at the Royal Statistical Society last November: https://www.rss.org.uk/rssadmin/uploads/3452_Speed%20cameras%20Mountain%20nov04.pdf

Safe Speed on regression to the mean:
https://www.safespeed.org.uk/rttm.html
https://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr126.html
https://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr127.html

Recent Safe Speed PR on new DfT Research:
https://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/41
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[Lufbra_Paul]

Three weeks ago I went down the A520 (i think) going to leek from stoke (A50). In the ten miles I was on it I counted 10 speed cameras.

On the way back the road had been closed off by the police, I'm assuming it was as the result of a serious accident....

[EDBANGER]

They say speed humps are more effective than the camera's. Depending on what kind of hump it is it still doesn't slow the bikers though.

[Kickstart]

[biggerjohn]

The most effective road side intervention is the little smiley/cross faces that flash up with your speed. These are apparently much more effective than speed cameras in actually slowing people down on a stretch of road rather than just 100m of the speed cameras.

I think it got more to do with the polite honesty of the system

I think of Speed cameras as the muggers of the road sneaking up on you slapping you with a fine and 3 points for your licence. Even if you don’t speed there still a menacing presence on the roadside and about as welcome as a randy dog as a miss lovely legs competition.

But the smiley are more like having a nice chap waving from the side of a road with a polite well done or excuse me mate but did you know this was your speed. All in all a much more civilised intervention and one that doesn’t create bad feeling between road users and the police.

But that just the way I see it

[8316]

i have recently seen 2 gatsos erected inside the c-zone in london and now they are about to be ripped up. it was a 30 zone, but you coldnt physically ever speed there without a death wish.
and there are 2 new gatsos near where i live that havent been there long that are goin too!(i can tell cos everyone thinks its a 30 when its a 40, AND the paint lines on the tarmac have been taken away)
suppose theu just arent getting enough revenue to pay for themselves!

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Now own a Fireblade!! Speed Limits? Bah!

[johnsilva]

y i
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