THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH DRIVERS
IN SCOTLAND
NATIONAL NO SPEEDING DAY 2003
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 91%?
As drivers, as cyclists and as pedestrians, we all have a vested interest in improving road safety. That's why having a day dedicated exclusively to vehicle speed seems to be something of a missed opportunity to remind all road users of the joint contribution they can make to road safety.
National No Speeding Day was an attempt to justify an increasing one-sided approach to road safety. Maybe it's no coincidence that in one day, the 1,894 detected speeding offences across Scotland would have generated over £100,000 in fines. Most of the income will be collected using quick, easy fixed penalty notices. Where traffic police are used to stop vehicles exceeding the speed limit, at least there is an opportunity to check for other faults - either with the vehicle or driver. Detection of these offences might well make our roads safer. Increasingly though, forces are relying on mobile or fixed speed cameras for quick, easy speed limit enforcement - but nothing else. Clearly, such devices can only detect one offence and cannot perform a check on vehicles travelling under the speed limit. The drivers/riders may have no licence, no MOT, no insurance, their vehicle may be stolen or defective or the drivers/riders may be under the influence of drink or illegal drugs.
FACT - the most dramatic falls in road deaths occurred BEFORE speed obsessive policies and speed cameras were in widespread use. From the introduction of speed cameras in 1992, reductions in road deaths gradually stalled and 2002 compared with 2001 saw the largest year on year increase for over a decade from 3409 to 3443.
Figures from Grampian Police show excessive speed was only a factor in 9.0% of accidents on the area's roads. Inappropriate speed is also included within this figure.
That's why I feel it's important to challenge a national road safety strategy that aims to tackle all accidents with policies based on the cause of 9.0% of accidents.What about the other 91%?
With this question in mind, I've collected quotes from senior police officers and officials from across Scotland, printed in newspapers around April Fools' Day. Naturally, I've added my own comments in capitals…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "It is no coincidence that National No Speeding Day fell on April 1"
Chief Inspector Sandy Bowman, head of road policing in Tayside
AS WITH ACCIDENT CAUSATION, IMPROVING ROAD SAFETY INVOLVES TACKLING A MULTITUDE OF FACTORS. SO WHO'S THE JOKE REALLY ON BY FOCUSING SOLELY ON SPEED?
INAPPROPRIATE SPEED IS A PROBLEM, YET IT CAN HAPPEN ABOVE OR BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. LET'S BE CLEAR - ROAD USERS WHO DRIVE AT INAPPROPRIATE SPEEDS DESERVE TO BE PROSECUTED.
A SAFE SPEED FOR THE CONDITIONS CAN BE A SPEED ABOVE OR BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. SPEED LIMITS, THEREFORE, ARE NOT A FLAWLESS WAY TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON THE CARE AND COMPETENCE DRIVERS DISPLAY THROUGH THEIR DRIVING. UNOBJECTIVE ENFORCEMENT BY SPEED CAMERAS EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM AND FAILS TO TACKLE THE 91% OF ACCIDENTS ATTRIBUTED TO NON-DRIVERS OR FACTORS OTHER THAN SPEED.
"Superintendent Dave Cormack, head of Grampian Police's traffic department said that although he was happy no one was injured, he was also disappointed so many people flouted the law."
"These drivers clearly knew they were travelling well in excess of the speed limit. It was a choice they made so they will now have to face the consequences"
Superintendent Dave Cormack, head of Grampian Police's traffic department
THE DRIVERS WILL INDEED HAVE TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT. NAMELY, POINTS, A FINE AND FIVE YEARS OF INCREASED INSURANCE PREMIUMS. IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THERE WERE NO OTHER CONSEQUENCES THOUGH…
"Tayside Police found 134 motorists driving above the speed limit and, although there were 15 road accidents reported, none were related to excessive speed."
"I don't think people realise the potential for harm and injury when they are travelling at excessive speed. I think it's almost complacency. If you are sitting in your comfortable car, you're warm, you're dry, you don't appreciate that you are doing 15mph above the speed limit."
Sergeant Paddy Buckley-Jones of Tayside Police
THIS COMMENT IS MADE, DESPITE THE PAPER REPORTING THAT NONE OF THE 15 ACCIDENTS RECORDED WERE RELATED TO EXCESSIVE SPEED. SO, WOULDN'T THE POLICE BE BETTER COMMENTING ON THE ACTUAL CAUSES OF THESE ACCIDENTS?
"It is extremely discouraging that these motorists chose to ignore the speed limit following our continuing campaigns to reduce road casualties. There are many potential hazards in a built-up area and excessive speed increases the time taken for a driver to react to a hazard. Nevertheless, we will continue our drive to make our roads safer and we thank the many drivers who support us by driving carefully."
Superintendent Dave Cormack, head of Grampian Police's traffic department
IF "DRIVING CAREFULLY" ON NATIONAL NO SPEEDING DAY OR ANY OTHER DAY IS CONSIDERED TO BE SOLELY ABOUT DRIVING WITHIN THE SPEED LIMIT, THEN I DOUBT OUR ROADS WILL EVER BE SAFER. AS SUPT CORMACK QUITE RIGHTLY ACKNOWLEDGES, THERE ARE MANY POTENTIAL HAZARDS - ENCOUNTERED AND UNNECESSARILY CREATED BY ALL ROAD USERS. EVERYONE NEEDS TO DO HIS OR HER BIT.
"Last year's No Speeding Day caught 22 motorists on Grampian's roads. Supt Cormack said that the rise was due to better resources for snaring the problem drivers provided by the North East Safety Camera Partnership."
UNFORTUNATELY, THE RESOURCES SUPT CORMACK REFERS TO ONLY CAN ONLY TACKLE SPEEDING - THE LEVEL OF WHICH MAY BE ILLEGAL, BUT NOT NECESSARILY HAZARDOUS, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
"And yesterday as police chiefs used April Fool's Day to hammer home their Only Fools Speed campaign, officers revealed the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents would be halved if more motorists would stick to the speed limit.
Police chiefs say pedestrians struck by a car at 35mph are twice as likely to die as a person hit at 30mph."
SADLY, STATEMENTS LIKE THIS FAIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DUTY OF CARE PEDESTRIANS ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE ACCIDENTS DON'T HAPPEN. IF A PEDESTRIAN ENTERS THE ROAD AT SUCH A POINT THAT GIVES THE DRIVER INADEQUATE TIME AND DISTANCE TO REACT, THE ACCIDENT WILL STILL HAPPEN - WHETHER IT'S AT 35MPH OR 30MPH. ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE IS ALWAYS PREFERABLE TO DAMAGE LIMITATION.
"But yesterday Superintendent Colin McNeill, head of traffic for Lothian and Borders Police, said drivers should not just think about the statistical consequences of driving too fast.
He said all motorists should think of the "human misery" caused to the friends and family of those killed as a result of speeding drivers.
And he added that research showed that if drivers reduced their speed by just 1mph it would result in a 5 per cent reduction of road traffic accidents."
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS RESEARCH IS FATALLY FLAWED. THE REPORT REFERRED TO ACTUALLY STATES THAT FOR EVERY 1MPH REDUCTION IN AVERAGE SPEED, ACCIDENTS REDUCE BY 5%. IF AVERAGE SPEEDS ON A DUAL CARRIAGEWAY WERE REDUCED FROM 70MPH TO 49MPH, THIS RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT ACCIDENTS WOULD FALL BY 105% (21x5). SO, PERHAPS IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT THE SUPT MCNEILL SUGGESTS WE DON'T JUST THINK ABOUT THE STATISTICAL CONSEQUENCES OF DRIVING TOO FAST!
"Although it may seem to some people that driving just above the speed limit may not be that dangerous, the statistics show otherwise."
Spokeswoman, Scottish Executive
WHAT STATISTICS? FACT - NO STATISTICS HAVE BEEN COMPILED TO SHOW THAT DRIVING "JUST OVER THE SPEED LIMIT" IS UNIVERSALLY DANGEROUS.
"Fools speed and when they do they represent a very real danger to themselves and others on the road."
Chief Inspector Sandy Bowman, head of road policing in Tayside
SUCH SWEEPING GENERALISATIONS HAVE NO RELEVANCE TO EFFECTIVE ROAD SAFETY STRATEGIES. FOOLISH BEHAVIOUR IS EVIDENT ON THE ROADS, AT ALL SPEEDS - HIGH AND LOW. THE EMERGENCY SERVICES EXCEED SPEED LIMITS TO ATTEND INCIDENTS. ARE THEY ALWAYS 'FOOLS' TOO? NO, OF COURSE NOT.
GRANTED, SOME (BUT NOT ALL) OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICE DRIVERS RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TRAINING, ABOVE THE STANDARD MADE AVAILABLE TO CIVILIANS. PERHAPS THIS IS A MORE VALID POINT - ROAD SAFETY WOULD BE ENHANCED THROUGH IMPROVED TRAINING FOR ALL DRIVERS/RIDERS.
"In 2001, there were 347 people who lost their lives on Scottish roads and 3,406 people were seriously injured. Speeding would have been a major factor in many of those crashes."
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Dickinson, Lothian and Borders Police
REGARDING CAUSATION, THIS IS A VERY VAGUE QUOTE. TAKING GRAMPIAN'S 9.0% EXCESSIVE SPEED FIGURE AS AN EXAMPLE, I WOULD SERIOUSLY QUESTION THIS UNQUALIFIED STATEMENT. CC DICKINSON REALLY NEEDS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC.
WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PUBLISH HIS RESPONSE ON THIS WEBSITE."Speed limits are not targets and motorists must always drive or ride at the safest speed for the existing road and traffic conditions. Motorists should take a responsible attitude when it comes to their use of speed. Everyone can make a real difference and I urge motorists to join the police in making our roads safer for everyone to use."
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Dickinson, Lothian and Borders Police
TAKEN AS GENERAL GUIDANCE, CC DICKINSON PROVIDES US WITH SOME VERY SOUND ADVICE - ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO THE SELECTION OF A SAFE SPEED. HE CORRECTLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE INHERENT FLAWS IN RELYING ON A SPEED LIMIT AS UNEQUIVOCAL SAFETY ADVICE.
"LAST year more than 1,500 people were killed or injured on the roads in Grampian. Behind these cold statistics lies the devastation brought upon individuals and their families which are rarely made public. Inappropriate speed remains a major factor in road crashes."
Sergeant Les Wiseman, Grampian Police Road Safety Unit
IT'S PUZZLING THAT THESE FIGURES SERVE TO OVER DRAMATISE THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEED IN CRASHES. REMEMBER, GRAMPIAN'S OWN FIGURES SHOW THAT INAPPROPRIATE AND EXCESSIVE SPEED COMBINED ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ONLY 9.0% OF ACCIDENTS.
FURTHERMORE, MERGING THE KILLED AND INJURED FIGURES MAKE GRAMPIAN'S ROADS SOUND MORE DANGEROUS THAN THEY REALLY WERE IN 2002.
THE FIGURES HIDE THE FACT THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY (OVER 1400) OF CRASH VICTIMS QUOTED WERE THANKFULLY NOT KILLED. 49 PEOPLE WERE TRAGICALLY KILLED ON GRAMPIAN'S ROADS IN 2002.
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