Knee-jerk reaction to a non-problem of speed

[xisled]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226492352854

YOU know if 80 per cent of people are disobeying a law, it's probably the law that needs fixing rather than the people. But in these illiberal times, we ramp up the punishment.
So when a Macquarie University study this month found that 70 to 80 per cent of drivers break the 40km/h speed limit when entering school zones, the usual call went up for more speed cameras and tougher fines.

This is the solution to every road safety issue from the robotic RTA now uselessly rebadged as Roads and Maritime Services.

But tomorrow a former RTA engineer will spill the beans on the failed logic and wasted money behind the state's War on Speed which has had negligible impact on safety, and may in fact provoke a psychological backlash among motorists.

Lex Stewart, RTA road safety manager between 1990 and 1997, will tell the Australian Institute of Traffic and Planning conference at Luna Park that better road safety comes from "flowing with" rather than going against "innate human psychology".

He says the number of road deaths has barely budged over the past decade as ever more drastic penalties have been enforced on motorists.

School speed zones are an example of a kneejerk reaction to a non problem that has diverted resources from more pressing safety issues. "All this huge money spent (on school zones) has had very small benefit because there never were any significant numbers of children killed or injured near schools in the first place," he said.

He counters the argument that any price is worth saving a life by saying that if money is diverted from programs that could save 50 lives, "all that we have achieved is to kill 49 people".

Five police highway patrol officers he interviewed for his paper complained that school zones were being "forced" on them and were difficult to enforce, diverting police attention away from more pressing issues such as bike helmets.

Stewart advocates scrapping all 40km/h school speed zones and instead employing more school crossing supervisors trained as special constables with the power to enforce 50 or

60km/h limits. "They can also talk to children, educating them in road safety, something that cameras cannot do."

He said Australian authorities were "unusually obsessed" with speeding, at the risk of underemphasising the dangers of drunk driving or driving without a seatbelt.

Speed cameras were "purely punitive, not educational" he said. "We need to ask those obsessed with speed cameras why Germany, with no speed limit at all on its autobahns, has a fatality rate of 0.7, which is substantially better than NSW's 0.9 and Australia's 0.8."

The NSW Auditor-General's report into speed cameras last year was a "damning indictment of RTA incompetence and arrogance". The report found 70 per cent of submissions viewed cameras as revenue raisers, and only 28 per cent of cameras produced statistically significant improvements in road safety."

"It is far more effective to use roving highway patrol officers."

When he was in charge of road safety in 90 per cent of the state west of Lithgow, Stewart wanted every motorist to see a blue flashing light on their travels.

He told police in his patch that if a driver is travelling at 112km/h in a 110 zone you pull him over, and "have a chat", about the inadvisability of breaking the speed limit, the hazards of fatigue and the whereabouts of the closest rest stop is. Then you send him on his way without a ticket.

This way the community is involved in taking responsibility for driving safely.

While politicians and bureaucrats "piously" rail against speeding, claiming it is the No.1 road safety problem, "there is little hard data to back them up", he said.

By contrast, the data on drink driving is accurate, since blood samples are taken from people involved in a crash, and tell us that alcohol is involved in 21 per cent of road deaths and 19 per cent of crashes.

Similarly, failure to wear a seatbelt (or a helmet) resulted in 12 per cent of deaths.

But the official line that "up to 40 per cent" of crashes are caused by excessive speed is a guess, Stewart said, based on insufficient scientific evidence, flawed data and inadequate police accident reports.

Stewart is all for bringing down speeds where appropriate, such as in residential areas where reducing the speed limit from 60 to 50km/h means less damage if a car hits a bike or pedestrian.

But the blanket assault on speed is absurd: "Why not make all speed limits 10km/h?"

Stewart is not just a critic. He has a lot of worthwhile solutions, including the introduction of a fairer "merit" scheme of 100 points, and speeding fines scaled more logically.

He advocates removing 90 per cent of speed cameras and putting the money into more highway patrol officers, encouraged to have frequent interactions with drivers in an educational/warning role.

One officer plus car costs about $200,000. If he books four people per shift then the fines reap the state $200,000. They are "close to being self-funding". he said. "Why the reluctance to employ more?"

He would also erect lots more speed limit "reassurance" signs so drivers know how fast they can go, increase driver education and require new cars to have black box recorders so the role of speed, fatigue and so on can be assessed.

Stewart's ideas, backed by his experience at the front line, are well worth heeding.

But Roads Minister Duncan Gay, who will open the conference this morning, did not respond to Stewart's offer to view his paper. Gay went into office a champion of motorists, opposed to punitive fines and cameras. But like every minister before him, he is now captured by his department and addicted to the revenue.

[blueoval]

But the official line that "up to 40 per cent" of crashes are caused by excessive speed is a guess, Stewart said, based on insufficient scientific evidence, flawed data and inadequate police accident reports.

Yet with this proof, the authorities involved are so deep in what profits cameras make vs police presence, that they care little about driver education, and human lives.

It has gone too far for too long now, and the powers that be are less interested in societies welfare anymore if it doesnt mean some form of cash in.

[joolz]

Also ive heard (From a very reliable source) that open speed limits will be reintroduced in the N.T in a few months due to the higher road toll. Speed wasnt the factor but fatigue!!
Will this show that speed doesnt kill in most cases and contradict what Victoria (and other states) have been ramming down our throats since radars and cameras were introduced...

[Trump]

Originally Posted by joolz

Also ive heard (From a very reliable source) that open speed limits will be reintroduced in the N.T in a few months due to the higher road toll. Speed wasnt the factor but fatigue!!
Will this show that speed doesnt kill in most cases and contradict what Victoria (and other states) have been ramming down our throats since radars and cameras were introduced...

If Govco in the NT reinstates the open speed limit, it would, one hope, set a precedent that the states would be hard pressed not to follow.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by Loud_Noises

If Govco in the NT reinstates the open speed limit, it would, one hope, set a precedent that the states would be hard pressed not to follow.

Dont bank on it, sadly. The roads here (the NT) are vastly different to most of Australia. Only the NT and a small part of SA and most of northern WA would be appropriate for a higher limit. NSW VIC and TAS have only ever built roads that would safely support 110kph. There is much more profit to be made that way.

[The G6ET Spot]

The Governments no matter which state will not raise speed limits or cut the number of speed cameras.

When It gets to the point that it is now that they actually budget (and increase each year) speed camera revenue we have gone past the point of no return.

they just rely on the revenue to much to try and balance budgets.

[FGII-XR6]

yea right, most of our freeways are actually built for far higher speeds than they allow whats so special about NT roads

Originally Posted by Outbackjack

Dont bank on it, sadly. The roads here (the NT) are vastly different to most of Australia. Only the NT and a small part of SA and most of northern WA would be appropriate for a higher limit. NSW VIC and TAS have only ever built roads that would safely support 110kph. There is much more profit to be made that way.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by au3xr6

yea right, most of our freeways are actually built for far higher speeds than they allow whats so special about NT roads

They tend to be much wider with nothing close to the sides of the roads. This is not true in all areas but is far more common than on the coast where the roads are narrower with trees and buildings just off the edges.

[Outbackjack]

Originally Posted by joolz

Also ive heard (From a very reliable source) that open speed limits will be reintroduced in the N.T in a few months due to the higher road toll. Speed wasnt the factor but fatigue!!
Will this show that speed doesnt kill in most cases and contradict what Victoria (and other states) have been ramming down our throats since radars and cameras were introduced...

More reliable sources here: http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11304971

[Franco Cozzo]

It never was about safety, its about $$$.

Its cheaper to pretend to fix the problems, have a few dead people and sell lies rather than educate people.

The whole system needs an overhaul, from me to the governor general. Unfortunately it seems no one has anyone elses best interests in mind.

[mik]

interesting article, looks on the money for my 2 bobs worth, camera`s do zero for those that don`t speed(or don`t speed near camera`s) but still drive like ratbags,
and absolutely no incentive for the people that drive like erratic scum bags to change their behavior if they only have camera`s to police them.
it`s sorta funny to me that often the Authorities always say it`s speed that is the problem, ............. to me more often than not the speed that kills is the result of driving in a manner dangerous of which speed is the end result, and again more often than not the the guys cruising on a run 10/15 k`s over the limit on the highway in a smooth calm courteous manner is the one that
A. does`nt crash
B. gets pinged by a camera

it`s usually the as my step father would call them "the tearasses" that make a career out of erratic speeding that know where the camera`s are and rarely get booked until it`s too late, having officers pull people over give them some education and a warning and chance to change their behavior does`nt put many bikky`s in the states bank, so it continues .

[jpd80]

Politicians and law makers feel the need to do something, so the easiest solution is to make a law.

The much harder thing is to educate people to drive in a safe manner.

And for the record, who's damned planning idea was it to put nearly every friggin' school on a main thoroughfare?
Surly having schools on a quiet side street away from main roads would be much safer in the first place.

[JC]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Politicians and law makers feel the need to do something, so the easiest solution is to make a law.

The much harder thing is to educate people to drive in a safe manner.

And for the record, who's damned planning idea was it to put nearly every friggin' school on a main thoroughfare?
Surly having schools on a quiet side street away from main roads would be much safer in the first place.

Ironically, you may find that the roads schools are on used to be quiet side streets....until the school was built.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by jpd80

And for the record, who's damned planning idea was it to put nearly every friggin' school on a main thoroughfare?
Surly having schools on a quiet side street away from main roads would be much safer in the first place.

This is a problem too. it wouldn't be cheaper, but they should change their pickup point. it would be safer than a sign and a flashing light. The worst one is Ando, which goes from 100 to 40 for about 100m. i'm so glad they are shut down this year.

[Brazen]

Put more money into mental disease and depression. Suicide is a much bigger killer than road accidents.

[XARATE]

Speed cameras were "purely punitive, not educational" he said. "We need to ask those obsessed with speed cameras why Germany, with no speed limit at all on its autobahns, has a fatality rate of 0.7, which is substantially better than NSW's 0.9 and Australia's 0.8."

Needs to get his facts correct if he wants people to take his seriously. There are quite a few sections of the autobarn with speed limits and if you want to get technical the autobarn actually has a speed limit of 350kph

[zilo]

Originally Posted by XARATE

Needs to get his facts correct if he wants people to take his seriously. There are quite a few sections of the autobarn with speed limits and if you want to get technical the autobarn actually has a speed limit of 350kph

I'll have to make sure I don't exceed that then...

[blueoval]

I dont think the speed limit is the question here, it's the claims of saving lives with the use of speed detecting devices. When I see a physical camera actually save a life of a motorist in an accident, then I will become a believer. Till then, proper driver education & police presence will still be my answer instead of instilling wallet thrashing fear into road users. The latter does not change a persons driving habit, it makes them more scared of losing money than the importance of the safety of other road users. We need people to look at the correct motive to change their ways, not the financial one. The financial one only benefits 1 party, and that is not the road users.

[mik]

magnificently put Shav, best post of the thread.

[steve.zissou]

Lex Stewart - legend!!!!!


Roads Minister Duncan Gay - Mr "Damn we need the money"

[MAD]

And what do we do about it as a community?
Roll over and take it I imagine.

[Ben73]

Do you know what is ridiculous. Road work speed limits.
I don't mind them if they are set appropriately in appropriate locations.


This evening driving in a 90 zone. Approached the regular 80 sign, but the one on the medium strip was covered with a temporary 70 sign.
40m after a trailer with electronic 40 sign. 20m later a temporary 80 sign. 200m later a 60 'ahead' sign. 30m later temporary 60 sign. The road work witches hats begin then 30m later temporary 40 sign. 30m later temporary 80 sign. 100m later a temporary 40 sign 100m later End Road Work 80 sign.

So in about 600 metres there were 9 different speed signs.
And they wonder why no one gives a **** about speed limits.

[my_gxl]

We need to get annual roadworthy certificates in all states, tougher license tests, and driver education.

[falconnut]

Oh god finally i am glad we are not alone in this big insane world.

Thankyou!