BBC WILL REVEAL LASER SPEED METER ERRORS
28 February 2005 - Safe Speed

This evening at 7:30pm BBC South West TV programme: ''Inside Out'' will demonstrate erroneous readings from a Home Office approved laser speed meter.

Safe Speed has long been extremely concerned about erroneous readings from laser speed meters.

Two important examples to be shown in the programme are

* measuring the speed of a brick wall at 58mph
* measuring the speed of a stationary car at 4mph.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: ''We hear many complaints from motorists who do not believe the laser speed meter reading that is being used against them. Unfortunately it is extremely unusual for a motorist to be able to offer alternative legal evidence of their speed at the time of the alleged offence. We are certain that there are many thousands of cases where motorists have been wrongly convicted due to faulty evidence from laser speed meters. It''s quite possible that all laser speed meter convictions are ''unsafe''.''

Safe Speed demands that Home Office approval for laser speed meters is suspended immediately pending a full investigation.

''It''s not as if high levels of speed enforcement are making the roads safer.'' explains Paul, ''Road safety absolutely depends on speeds selected by drivers as being safe and appropriate for the immediate conditions. High degrees of speed enforcement are leading to an increase in unsafe speeds as some drivers trust the number on the sign instead of the evidence of the road ahead.''

A recent case in Inverness Sheriff Court was dismissed after a laser speed meter recorded a speed of 132mph from a vehicle that was proved not to be capable of exceeding 107mph.

www.safespeed.org.uk

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