This was in the letters page of today's Courier..
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Sir,‹The letter from David Phillips (April 2) says in
relation to the current speed camera debate that the police
do not make the laws and are only doing their job.
However, what the police and Tayside Speed Camera
Partnership are not entitled to do is, by the creative use
of statistics, present their road safety record as a roaring
success when the reality is that it is an abysmal failure.
The fact is that for the last two years, road deaths in
Tayside have increased substantially year on year, but the
police and the Speed Camera Partnership are deliberately
attempting to conceal this from the public.
I wasn¹t aware deceiving the public was part of a police job
description. Eamon Scott, Tayside Co-ordinator, The
Association of British Drivers. Main Road, Hillside.
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So, being the scientist I am I went looking for the figures.
Two years ago the total number of deaths on scottish roads
was the lowest ever (since 1950's when records began). So I
wrote a quick reply..
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Sir,
Eamon Scott (letters, 6th April) derides the chief police
officer for a 'creative use of statistics' yet himself
indulges in the same practice.
Casualty rates vary from year to year so some years they
will be higher and some years lower. Two years ago the
figures for all of Scotland were the lowest on record. It is
hardly surprising then that this years figures are slightly
higher. The trend over the last five years is definitely
downwards despite this recent blip. Quoting just two years
as a trend is hardly an honest approach.
Excessive speed is a contributory factor in over a third of
accidents, and speed is directly related to the severity of
accidents. Curbing speed is a key measure that can be done
through automated means, freeing up police resources to
police the roads in a more effective manner.
Accidents in the vicinity of speed cameras drop dramatically
but these only cover a tiny fraction of the road network.
What we need are more cameras, not less so that speeding is
placed in it's proper context, on the race track, rather
than on the street endangering other road users.
Motorists who do not know the speed limit or who fail to
observe it though incompetence or deliberate choice have
only themselves to blame for the eventual fines. If it is a
stealth tax then it is the only one that is voluntary.
Yours Sincerely
Dr David Martin
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I doubt it will be published but it at least adds fuel
to the fire.
..d