RoadPeace, the national charity for road traffic victims

Press Release

2004

Enticing speeders to kill and be killed

Could media anti-speed camera support be contributing to deaths and injuries of drivers, who make up over 60% of road victims?

The normal response to law breaking is condemnation or censure and the media perform an important role in the control and prevention of unacceptable conduct. Should the law breaking pose risks to life and indeed cause death and injury then the certain response will be outrage and a call for action.

Why is the response to breaches of road traffic laws so different? Arguments against speed cameras and in favour of law breaking motorists are so obviously illogical, wrong and untrue, that it is difficult to understand why they are presented by so many journalists, and amazing that so many people seem to believe them.

The proof that they do is in the daily toll of 10 people killed and more than 1,000 injured on our roads, the majority motorists, in the enormous cost of road crashes borne by every UK citizen and in the misery suffered by millions of road traffic victims.

Paige Mitchell, of the Slower Speeds Initiative* said:
"We need people with complete authority to dispel the damaging and bogus arguments, since drivers whose outlook is affected by continual criticism of the legitimacy of enforcement will predictably more likely speed...and crash. "

Brigitte Chaudhry, National Secretary of RoadPeace, said: "RoadPeace's 'Remember Me' roadside memorials are going up throughout the country indicating the spots where people have been killed and injured. Many of them coincide with the places where speed cameras have been installed - is it therefore correct to call cameras revenue raising devices?"

ends

* RoadPeace is a Founder member of SSI

Contacts:
RoadPeace office 020 8838 5102 RoadPeace helpline 0845 4500 355

RoadPeace has a Briefing Sheet on Speed and Speed Cameras, prepared by Dr Bob Gale of RoadPeace, which is available on request.