Another report into speed cameras released...

[Jim Goose]

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-...0wqh.html#poll

Fixed speed cameras are not reducing the number of nearby car crashes, new data shows.

ACT government crash statistics, provided to the opposition, show accidents at the site of nine fixed speed camera sites have not been reduced since the cameras were activated in 2007 and 2008.

In many cases, the data shows drivers were actually involved in more crashes after the fixed cameras came in.
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The number of crashes has increased at the sites of two fixed speed cameras on the Federal Highway, city-bound near the Antill Street roundabout, and north-bound between the Antill Street roundabout and Zelling Road.

Prangs were more common near the set of fixed cameras on the Barton Highway, between Gungahlin Drive and Ellenborough Street, but less frequent at the set on the highway between Curran Drive and Gold Creek Road.

Crash rates increased considerably near the sites of two fixed speed cameras on the Monaro Highway between Lanyon Drive and Sheppard Street, and between Mugga Lane and Isabella Drive.

But the rate fell after the installation of speed cameras on the Monaro Highway near the Hindmarsh Drive overpass.

Crashes have also decreased since the installation of the camera on the Tuggeranong Parkway, near the Hindmarsh Drive overpass.

Opposition transport services spokesman Alistair Coe has claimed the data is proof the government has used the technology to maximise revenue, rather than reduce the danger to motorists. Mr Coe said he supports the use of speed cameras, but said they must not be used simply as revenue raisers. ''I think it shows that there are still questions that need to be asked about their effectiveness,'' he said.

But the government maintains the speed cameras are an important part of its road safety program.

A spokesman for Attorney-General Simon Corbell said the speed cameras act as ''an important deterrent'' to dangerous driving.

The government is currently preparing a speed camera strategy to help guide any possible expansion of the existing camera network across the city. It will look at the effectiveness of fixed, mobile and point-to-point speed cameras, and how each is placed across the city.

That evaluation will look at the effectiveness of the site selection for each speed camera, and see how well they reduce speed and crashes.

The government activated the territory's first point-to-point speed cameras on Hindmarsh Drive in late February, with a second set to be installed on Athllon Drive later this year.

Mr Coe said there were serious questions about the effectiveness of the point-to-point cameras.

He said both fixed cameras and point-to-points had the potential to make roads more dangerous.

''I think we've all seen people drive erratically near fixed speed cameras,'' Mr Coe said.

''People slam on the brakes and they do weird things, I don't think it's any surprise to a lot of people that we are seeing a lot of accidents occurring at these locations,'' he said.

Oh dear oh dear...

[aussie muscle]

(increased) between Mugga Lane and Isabella Drive.

which just happens to be the Queenbeyan turn off! it is a poorly designed section of road with traffic lights in the middle of nowhere. Canberra has some weird intersections...

[blueoval]

well there's a shock.....NOT. Typical of the government not to back down since it's getting nice kick backs from the cash it's pulling in.

[prydey]

could it possibly be that the majority of crashes are not actually related to 'speeding'!!

i don't even need a million dollar govt research grant to figure that out

[turbodewd]

If they want to increase driver safety why not offer a scheme to get old bangers off the road? Get ppl into 5-star ANCAP rated cars.

And if they want to really reduce the road toll theyd have to ban motorbikes. Those poor guys are massively over-represented in road death stats.

[Angeldust]

Definetly too many motorbike fatalities.

[MITCHAY]

But the rate fell after the installation of speed cameras on the Monaro Highway near the Hindmarsh Drive overpass.

Lol has nothing to do with that part being a parking lot for as long as I remember or anything.

[DJM83]

Not interested in the least, just thought id let you all know...

[Rockape]

Speed cameras make me sad

[Linkachu]

More crashes but less fatalities no doubt. Remeber, they save lives not reduce crashes.

[Bossxr8]

They will spin it some way to make it sound like they are working

[EDManual]

"The government activated the territory's first point-to-point speed cameras on Hindmarsh Drive in late February, with a second set to be installed on Athllon Drive later this year."

What a useless camera that is!! Has anyone ever crashed on that lovely 4 lane almost freeway with a 80 sign on it! I doubt it! I and most people did 100 odd every day. Now its a rolling carpark...

[Ben73]

Old news is old.
But the government will never change it's stance. They will always find any excuse.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Old news is old.
But the government will never change it's stance. They will always find any excuse.

good point. even if the opposition promises to change things, it'll either immediately 'look into it' with a 2 year study, or it'll reverse it for only few months like the nsw liberals did.

[Reaper8]

Originally Posted by Rockape

Speed cameras make me sad

only make me sad when they flash

[Uncle Niceguy]

and to think that speed tra....sorry speed cameras are illegal in some states of america due to privacy invasion or something like that yet imo the point to point is a better option because it then means that people have to stick to the speed limit for a long stretch of road, witch imo would be far more efficient than having people jump on the breaks just as they see the speed camera, causing a pile up or something similar but at the end of the day there is nothing to be worried about if you drive sensibly stick to the speed limit and be a good driver in general you wont well you shouldn't cop a fine.

[ltd_on20s]

obviously with this report, if accidents have increased on that intersection.... perhaps someone who has had an accident on those intersections can now sue the government for false advertising?

[seedywagon]

Why bother getting sad over it, they've invested millions putting them everywhere, they're not ever going to pull them down.
Unfortunately we're slowly becoming a big brother society, George Orwell will be turning in his grave for sure.

[H.G]

whats that saying.. if your not doing anything wrong then what does it matter?

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by seedywagon

Why bother getting sad over it, they've invested millions putting them everywhere, they're not ever going to pull them down.
Unfortunately we're slowly becoming a big brother society, George Orwell will be turning in his grave for sure.

Absolutely.

Man, am I having a nice holiday from Australian driving. I'm now regularly driving a Skoda Octavia 1.9l TDI between Czech Republic and Germany (Plzen to near Nuremberg and back) and my minimum speed is about 120 km/h.

Trucks are down at a pleasant 80 or 90 in the kerb lane so you're not being hassled by some aggressive B-double up your clacker at 110 (the truckies are courteous over here) and the main issue is looking out for the cars coming up at 160-180 before you move into the outside lane! No sign of any carnage or nannying highway patrols. Everyone has it down to a fine art. The journey is short and over quickly, so you're not fatigued or nodding off into microsleeps from the boredom of watching that the speedo stays on 100-110 over a journey time 50% longer than it would take in Europe. Motorway design is also little different from Australia's so I can't see any argument that our roads aren't up to it. The stress reduction from not having to watch out for HP cars hiding in the bushes is also indescribable!

These European cars are also tuned for these sorts of speeds. The Skoda is an absolute goer, still capable of acclerating well even at 140-150. They must be absolutely idling at Australian road speeds!

All that the nannying in Australia achieves is to dumb down Australian drivers so that they don't have the skills and abilities of their European counterparts and therefore will naturally have more accidents. Which will lead to even more dumbing down.

Reading this thread just utterly depresses me at what I will have to come back to in a few months.