ACCIDENT CAUSATION DATA CONFIRMS WILTSHIRE LIES
21 July 2005 - Safe Speed

Accident causation data obtained by the Association of British Drivers from Wiltshire Constabulary confirms that speeding was not a serious problem on the M4 Motorway.

Recently Wiltshire and Swindon Camera Partnership claimed that their camera vans had reduced crashes on the M4 by over 60% - yet examination of crash causation data reveals that excessive speed was a factor in just 14% of crashes.

''Excessive speed'' in these terms is NOT the same as exceeding a speed limit - it includes speed inappropriate for the conditions as well as speed in excess of the speed limit. Sample data from Avon and Somerset, Durham and Canada (the only such data we have been able to find) all put the split at 70/30 with 30% in excess of a speed limit. So our best estimate is that
(30%*14%=) 4.2% of M4 crashes involved exceeding a speed limit.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: I would very much like to hear the Camera Partnership explain exactly how it is supposed to be possible that their cameras reduced crashes by over 60% when only about 4% of crashes involved exceeding a speed limit. It does not make sense. There is absolutely no mechanism by which their claims could be true.''

Paul continues: ''Speed cameras create vested interests and the vested interests repeatedly mislead the public about the nature of road dangers. UK road safety cannot get back on track until the vested interests have been dismantled and the truth is admitted.''

Paul concludes: ''The Government will now have to admit that they were entirely wrong about speed cameras - and the sooner the better. Far from making the roads safer they have damaged the foundations of British road safety by squandering massive resources on a minor safety factor.''

www.safespeed.org.uk

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