Speed cameras and road safety - an oxymoron?

Many bloggers have commented on Swindon Council's decision to spend taypayers' money wisely by proposing not to plough £400K into the Wiltshire Safety Camera Partnership, and instead spend it on real road safety measures. I don't comment very often on road safety matters, but as a driving instructor, I suppose I have more views on this subject than the average motorist.

Calling speed cameras, safety cameras, still doesn't take away the perception that they are a cash-cow for the Treasury. It is easy for any driver to forget what speed they are doing by the hundred and one distractions there are on the road. I nearly got caught by a camera a week ago. I was coming over a flyover in Hull. I was going downhill and looking to see if any vehicles were about to join from the slip road. Before I knew it my speed had increased and thanks to a driver on the other carriageway who flashed his headlights, I managed to bring down my speed before the mobile camera caught me. I wasn't doing anything dangerous, however I could have easily collected three points on my licence and handed over £60.

Similar stories to this are being repeated at an alarming rate around the country. People whose only crime is to momentarily loose their concentration are having their licences endorsed. Road safety campaigners will keep on banging the drum that speed kills; but speed doesn't kill. It is the irresponsible use of speed that kills. Driving dangerously close to the vehicle in front of you will cause more accidents than doing 100mph on a quiet motorway. A few years ago the police would have used their discretion in awarding fixed penalty notices; now you see fewer police cars as they rely on cameras. Not that cameras prosecute those driving too close, who are high on drinks or drugs. They don't prosecute the tired driver who is falling asleep at the wheel and if Hull is anything to go by, you will never see a camera or a police officer near a school, catching those who are driving dangerously near children. No, it is much better to divert your resources where the most revenue can be generated.

Now we can move on to the subject of traffic calming. Almost every school in Hull is now in a 20mph zone, with the usual speed bumps. The problem here is that these 20mph zones are mandatory 24 hours a day. Where is the sense in this? No-one pays attention to the speed limit, especially the police, who you routinely see driving through at around 30mph. It has cost Hull City Council tens of thousands of pounds to dig up the road, install speed bumps and erect speed limit signs, when all that was needed was an advisory 20 mph speed limit and a flashing sign warning drivers of the potential hazards ahead. Job done.

What the government and local councils fail to realise is that the majority of drivers are responsible and can make decisions for themselves. They exercise their judgement by making hundreds of decisions every day they drive. When they see children milling around the side of the road, they naturally slow down and deal with the hazards around them.

My professional advise is to scrap speed cameras, unless they are on roads that have a poor safety record. Install more flashing signs, especially around schools. Have a national review of speed limits. There are many roads where the speed limit is too high and many where it is too low. Introduce variable speed limits; there are many roads where it is perfectly safe to drive at a higher speed at night. Treat the motorist with respect and they will respond in a positive manner. Treat them as a cash-cow and a target and you lose their respect.