November 2009

Speed or safety in numbers

We might not agree what to call them…. speed cameras or safety cameras.

But one thing’s certain, many motorists agree that there are far too many of them today on the nation’s roads.

A new, nationwide survey by Breakdown Service Autonational Rescue asked that very question, and 31% of all motorists agreed that “there are far too many speed cameras on Britain’s roads.”

Autonational’s marketing manager Ronan Hart said: “That was the largest single number in our survey, while a quarter of all motorists said that there are just enough speed cameras on our roads.”

Other motorists – 21% nationally – said there was a need for more ‘advisory messages’, such as the vehicle activated signs which use radar to detect and warn speeding drivers to slow down.

“Meanwhile, 13% of drivers prefer the use of other types of traffic calming measures, such as speed humps or chicanes which force drivers to slow down, although that can have other implications”, added Ronan, “as our survey shows later on”.

A minority of drivers, seven per cent, believed there are still too few speed cameras on our roads.

Battle of the sexes

But points of view change when it comes to male versus female driver attitudes.

For example, compared with the national average of 31%, a much higher percentage of men (35%) agreed that there are far too many speed cameras in Britain while a much lower percentage of women (26%) agree.

Equally, more women drivers than male drivers believe there are “just enough” speed cameras on the nation’s roads.

And in the regions

Across the country’s regions, 41% of motorists in the heavily populated Midlands (backed by 39% in London) say there are already far too many speed cameras, compared with 31% nationally.

While 35% of motorists in the East of England say we need more electronic advisory roadside signs (compared with 21% nationally).

Added Autonational’s Ronan Hart: “It just goes to show how attitudes change in the heavily populated, and heavily trafficked, areas of the country such as London and the Midlands where it sometimes seems to the humble motorist that there are speed cameras every few hundred metres!”

Damage limitation

Other ways and means to cut down on drivers speeds get a very mixed reception among the nation’s motorists.

In a series of multiple choice questions and answers, the Autonational Rescue survey asked what UK drivers thought about chicanes and/or speed humps as ways of controlling speeding traffic.

Forty nine per cent said that humps “do damage to vehicles over time”, while 31% thought that they slow down the emergency services and 16% thought that they do NOT encourage driving at slower speeds. Fifteen per cent even thought they were inherently dangerous for motorists and can actually cause accidents!

Added Ronan Hart: “It all goes to show that there are no magic wands when it comes to slowing down speeding traffic.”

The new independent survey was carried out across Great Britain by CAPI Omnibus based on a representative sample of around 1,000 adults at 72 sampling points.

Autonational Rescue is the car breakdown service with the no claims bonus, for more information visit www.autonational.co.uk or call 08459 100 345.

Ends

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Issued by: CPR Works Ltd
Contact: Roger Eversley/Jenny Carr
Tel: 01902 680068
E-mail: info@cpr.co.uk
Web: www.cpr.co.uk