Speeding, overtaking and enforcement - Brake · the past year got points for speeding. Of those who...

Brakethe road safety charity

Speed

The Green Flag Report on Safe Driving 2004 PART TWO

A survey of 850 drivers and motorbike

riders on the topics of speeding,

overtaking and enforcement carried out

by Brake, the road safety charity and

Green Flag Motoring Assistance.

2

DRIVER BEHAVIOUR

DRIVER KNOWLEDGE

DRIVER ATTITUDES

Speeding, overtaking and enforcement

Although most driversrealise that speed limits areset for good reason, andbelieve that speeding driverswho kill should be sent toprison, the majority still continue to speed and takespeed-related risks, forexample while overtaking.

Many drivers seem to think –

for a variety of reasons – that their

speeding is somehow ‘OK’ and that

it is only other speeding drivers that

represent a ‘real’ problem. Yet

research shows that all speeding

is risky, and every extra mile per

hour could mean the difference

between life and death, especially

for vulnerable road users like cyclists

and pedestrians.

About this report

In this report, Brake and Green Flag Motoring Assistance examine

850 drivers’ and riders’ attitudes toward speeding, under what

circumstances they are most likely to speed, how well they

understand the risk associated with different speeds and what

speed control measures they consider most effective.

This report includes case studies of people killed by speeding

drivers and life-saving advice for drivers and riders from experts in

the field. It also challenges policymakers to take immediate action

to help prevent deaths and injuries caused by speed.

This is the second in a series of eight reports that make up the

Green Flag Report on Safe Driving 2004. The first part, Fit to Drive,

was published in January 2004 and covered impairment (drink, drug

and tired driving). Forthcoming reports include:

• Risk on the road

• Are you ready to drive?

• Driven to distraction

• Road safety and the law

• Young drivers

• Driving for work

This report is based on a survey carried out by Brake volunteers

across the UK in January-March 2004. The volunteers questioned

a cross-section of drivers and riders in a variety of locations,

including: villages, town centres and motorway service stations;

in homes and workplaces; and in locations such as public libraries,

supermarkets, pubs and doctors’ surgeries. Every effort was made

to ensure that a wide variety of people responded. The sample

group included drivers and riders of all types of vehicle, and people

who drove mainly for work, as well as those who drove mainly in

their free time. Brake thanks all volunteers who helped conduct the

survey and collate the results.


Chris Moat, Green Flag Motoring Assistance’s managing director, says:

“As a leading rescue and recovery provider, Green Flag is a longstanding

supporter of Brake, the road safety charity. Brake’s work in raising

awareness of the risks on our roads and providing practical advice to

drivers plays a crucial role in preventing deaths and injuries in crashes.

Part One of this report revealed continued high levels of drink-driving,

alarming levels of drug driving and a lack of awareness of both the

dangers of tired driving and the effects of over-the-counter drugs on

driving ability. The findings of Part Two are just as shocking – despite

government campaigns to slow drivers down, most still admit to speeding.

Green Flag is particularly pleased to be able to work with Brake to

combat speeding. In September 2003, as headline sponsors of Brake’s

flagship educational event, Road Safety Week, we highlighted the risk that

speeding poses to child pedestrians, our most vulnerable road users.

Most of us have experienced pressure to speed at times – whether it’s

pressure from other drivers or we’re just late for a meeting. Ultimately,

those few extra miles per hour won’t make a difference to our day, but

they could make the difference between life and death should a child run

into the road. Children are among the case studies presented in this

report – lives that have been tragically cut short and families that have

suffered needless loss and grief because of speeding drivers.

If we can understand drivers’ motivations for speeding, then we can help

drivers to understand why it’s so important to slow down and keep within

the limit.”

1

Some characteristics of the population who suffer trauma as pedestrians when hit by cars and some resulting implications (S. J. Ashton and G. M. Mackay, 1979)

INTRODUCTION

Mary Williams OBE, Brake’s chief executive, says: “Reducing drivers’ speed

has recently shot up to the top of the political road safety agenda, but it has

been at the heart of road safety campaigning for years. It’s simple – the faster

you go, the less time you have to react, and the greater the chance of hitting

an unexpected hazard. The faster you are going, the harder the impact will

be, and the lower the chance of survival. Hit at 20mph, a pedestrian’s survival

chance is 95%. At 40mph, the chance of survival plummets to 15%.1

Whenever we drive, we should always expect the unexpected. And that

means there are key places where we should always slow down and keep our

distance – particularly in towns and villages and on rural roads with bends

and brows and unexpected junctions. It is particularly shocking to find that

more than one in 10 drivers in this report admitted to overtaking in the past

year when they couldn’t see what was coming in the opposite direction. It is

blindingly obvious to say that overtaking blind can be fatal. I have heard a

driver (who was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving by

overtaking blind) attempt to defend himself in court by saying: ‘I overtook as

quickly as possible in case something was coming the other way.’ This is

perverse logic, which in that case cost the life of a 39-year-old driver, Richard

Longworth, who was coming in the opposite direction (see pages 4 and 5).

And then there are the children. Children should be taught the Green Cross

Code, but will sometimes make mistakes when using roads. It is our duty, as

drivers, to presume that a child might run out behind the parked cars up

ahead, and slow down so we have chance to stop in time. That is responsible

citizenship. A recent road safety campaign in New Zealand says: If you are

prepared to speed, be prepared to kill. Even if you are keeping within a 30mph

limit, it could still be too fast– many Local Authorities are reducing limits

around houses and schools to a life-saving 20mph. Slow down.”

SPEED

1

Figure 1: Offence for which penalty points were received

speeding and other 8%

Have you been convicted of speeding?

Q1: Within the past 12 months, how many penalty

points have you received, in total, for driving offences?

Almost one in eight respondents have received penalty pointsin the past 12 months. Nearly 3% have received four or morepoints.

• 0.4% have received 10-12 penalty points

• 0.4% have received 7-9 penalty points

• 2% have received 4-6 penalty points

• 10% have received 1-3 penalty points

• 86% have received no penalty points

• 1% did not answer

Q2: If you have received any points, what were they for?

Speeding is by far the most common offence resulting inpoints on licences. 90% of respondents who received points inthe past year got points for speeding.

Of those who received penalty points in the past 12 months:

• 83% received points for speeding only

• 8% received points both for speeding and for another type of offence

• 9% received points for an offence other than speeding (e.g.

drink or drug driving, driving while using a mobile phone)

THE FACTS – SPEEDING OFFENCES

• The number of speeding offences dealt with by police in

England and Wales increased by more than 20% from 2001

to 2002, to reach a total of 1.7 million offences or nearly one

in three (31%) of all motoring offences dealt with by police.

• Speed cameras provided evidence for 1.5 million offences

in 2002.

• 91% of speed limit offences in 2002 resulted in a fixed

penalty notice and 9% led to court proceedings.

• The average penalty for speeding offences dealt with in

Magistrates’ Courts in 2002 was £128.2

Do you keep a safe distance?

Q3: Within the past 12 months, how often have you left less

than a two-second gap between your vehicle and the vehicle

in front on motorways?

We have all heard the basic advice to drivers on keeping your distance: “Only a fool breaks the two-second rule.” Yet almost half ofall respondents admitted to breaking the two-second rule, and nearlyone in four said they did so at least once a week.

• 8% said they broke the two-second rule daily or more than once a day

• 9% said they broke the two-second rule several times a week

• 7% said they broke the two-second rule about once a week

• 10% said they broke the two-second rule about once a month

• 15% said they broke the two-second rule less than once a month

• 50% said they never broke the two-second rule


ADVICE – THE TWO-SECOND RULE

Many crashes are caused by drivers failing to stop in time. It is

important to keep a two-second gap between your vehicle and

the vehicle in front – this is your braking space in a crisis. In wet

weather or poor visibility, extend your gap to four seconds and

never hang on to the lights of the vehicle in front. You will be too

close for safety and not ‘reading the road’ for yourself. Dropping

back helps you to spot hazards and drive more smoothly. The rule

works at all speeds, not just on motorways.

Do you stay within the limit?

Q4: Within the past 12 months, have you broken the speed

limit, even once?

Nearly nine out of ten respondents (88%) admitted breaking the speedlimit in the past 12 months. Overtaking at high speed can be fatal, yetovertaking was the most common situation in which respondentsbroke the speed limit, with more than half (52%) saying they broke thelimit while performing this manoeuvre.

• 52% said they broke the limit when overtaking

• 43% said they broke the limit when late or on a tight schedule

• 38% said they broke the limit when there was not much other traffic around

• 33% said they broke the limit when all the traffic around them was already breaking the limit

• 31% said they broke the limit when they were confident that they could drive safely at a higher speed

• 16% said they broke the limit when they did not agree that the speed limit needed to be so low on that particular stretch of road

• 12% said they had not broken the limit in any of these situations

More than half of all respondents (51%) said they had broken the limit

in more than one of the situations listed:

• 5% said they broke the limit in all six of these situations

• 7% said they broke the limit in five of these situations

• 7% said they broke the limit in four of these situations

• 12% said they broke the limit in three of these situations

• 20% said they broke the limit in two of these situations

• 37% said they broke the limit in one of these situations

• 12% said they had not broken the limit in any of these situations2

Motoring Offences and Breath Test Statistics, England and Wales 2002 (Home Office Statistical Bulletin, April 2004)

other only 9%

speeding only 90%

SPEED

MIke Lee, age 13

Mike had been to the cinema with his best

friend one Friday night in June 2001. His

friend’s dad was driving them home on the

A629 between Barnsley and Penistone

when the car hit a kerb. The car was

thrown across the road and into the air.

It landed on the side Mike was sitting.

Mike was taken to hospital with fatal head injuries. Mike’s best

friend and his father survived the crash unhurt. The inquest

verdict was left open but skid marks on the road indicated that

the driver was exceeding the 60mph limit, possibly racing another

car. Mike’s father, Dave, said: “Drivers have the choice to speed

or slow down. My son Michael did not have that choice when he

was fatally injured in a car driven by a driver who decided to go

too fast.”

CASE STUDY

THE FACTS – SPEEDING DRIVERS

A survey of car drivers by the Department for Transport in 2003

showed that:

• 58% break speed limits on 30mph roads and 25% break them

by more than 5mph.

• 27% break speed limits on 40mph roads and 10% break them

by more than 5mph.

• 9% break speed limits on derestricted, single carriageway

roads in rural areas (60mph limit for cars) and 2% break them

by more than10mph.

• 50% break speed limits on dual carriageways and 15% break

them by more than 10mph.

• 57% break speed limits on motorways and 20% break them

by more than 10mph.3

By studying the speed and crash rates of 10,000 drivers, transport

research body TRL found that drivers’ crash rates rise the faster

they travel. A driver who travels 25% above the average speed is

more than six times more likely to crash.4

The Green Flag Report on Speed 2004 PART TWO

2

WHY DO DRIVERS SPEED?

According to research carried out by Professor Steve Stradling at

Napier University, drivers tend to drive ‘faster than normal’ when

they are late for a meeting or appointment, listening to music or

feeling stressed, and when the traffic ahead is moving faster than

they normally drive. Drivers tend to drive ‘slower than normal’

when they have spotted a speed camera and when they have

children with them in the car. 5 There are two ‘high-risk’ groups

who are more likely to break speed limits and take other risks

3 Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain: 2003 (Department for Transport, 2004)

4 The effects of drivers’ speed on the frequency of road accidents (M C Taylor, D A Lynam & A Baruya, TRL report 421, 1999) and The relation between speed and accidents on rural single-carriageway roads (M C Taylor, A Baruya & J V Kennedy, TRL report 511, 2002)

5 The Speeding Driver: Who, How and Why? (Stradling et al, Scottish Executive Development Department Research Programme, Research Findings No. 170/2003)

6Characteristics and crash involvement of speeding, violating and thrill-seeking drivers (Stradling, Meadows and Beatty, Napier University, 2002) andRoad Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2003)

Q5: Within the past 12 months, how often have you driven at

35mph or faster in a 30mph zone?

64% of crashes happen in 30mph zones in urban areas.7 Childpedestrians and cyclists are particularly vulnerable on these typesof road, especially in residential areas and near schools. Yet morethan two-thirds of drivers (68%) admitted to doing 35mph or more in30mph zones and more than a third (38%) said they did so at leastonce a week.

• 68% said they have driven at 35mph or faster in a 30mph zone

• 11% said they did this daily or more than once a day

• 11% said they did this several times a week

• 16% said they did this about once a week

• 11% said they did this about once a month

• 19% said they did this less than once a month

• 30% said they never drove at 35mph or more in a 30mph zone in the past year


Figure 2: Drivers who drove at 35mph or more in 30mph zones

No answer

8 Think! Leaflet T/INF/648 (Department for Transport , 2001)

THE FACTS – STOPPING DISTANCES

When you see a hazard you need plenty of time to react. You

need time to spot the hazard and for your mind to process the

information, and you need time to stop the vehicle (‘braking

distance’). The faster you drive, the less time you have both to

react and brake. Thinking distance increases in direct proportion

to speed. However, braking distance increases at a much faster

rate, in proportion to the square of speed.

At 20 mph:

- thinking distance = 6 metres

- braking distance on a dry road = about 6 metres

- total stopping distance = 12 metres

But at 30 mph:

- thinking distance = 9 metres

- braking distance = 14 metres

- total = 23 metres

With those extra 10mph, the thinking distance has increased by

half but the braking distance has more than doubled.8

Daily or more

Several times a week

Once a week

Once a month

Less than once a month

Never

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35Percentage

7 Road Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2003)

SPEED

3

Q6: Within the past 12 months, how often have you broken

the limit on a derestricted, single carriageway road (60mph

limit for cars)?

Drivers are more likely to kill themselves on derestricted single carriageway roads than on any other type of road – two out of threedriver deaths happen on these roads, many at high speeds.9 Yetmore than half of respondents admitted to breaking the limit onderestricted roads, and 30% said they did this once a month or more.

• 51% said they broke the speed limit on a derestricted, single carriageway roads






• 48% said they never broke the limit on derestricted, single carriageway roads


Figure 3: Drivers who broke the speed limit on derestricted, single carriageway roads

THE FACTS – MOTORBIKERS

Motorbikers are 30 times more likely to be killed than car users.11

18% of all fatalities in 2002 were motorbikers, even though

motorbikes only represent 3% of all licensed vehicles on the road

and only 1% of all motor vehicle mileage.12 Bikers are often killed

due to riding at excessive speeds on rural roads, but many bikers

are killed due to other drivers failing to spot them and pulling out

on them at junctions.

ENGINEERING SLOWER SPEEDS

Local authorities across the country have been implementing

speed reduction measures to reduce casualties, encourage more

walking and cycling and improve quality of life, particularly in

urban residential areas. Measures include:

• 20mph zones

• Speed humps, cushions or tables

• Narrowed carriageways

• Chicanes

• Different types of road surface in different colours

• ‘Dragon’s teeth’ road markings

• Mini-roundabouts

• Vehicle-activated speed limit signs

• Speed limit repeater signs

• Speed cameras

THE FACTS – RURAL ROADS (including derestricted, single

carriageway roads)

There are more crashes on urban roads – in 2002, only 23% of

all crashes were on rural roads. But more people die on rural

roads – 1,838 people (54% of all road deaths) in 2002.10 On many

derestricted roads, the 60mph limit is far too fast for safety. Fatal

high-speed collisions with other vehicles, and single vehicle

collisions with trees and walls, are often caused by taking bends

too fast or by overtaking in dangerous places. Drivers also kill

cyclists, horse riders and walkers on rural roads. If you are doing

60mph on a rural road and a cyclist is hidden round a left-hand

bend, you won’t have time to stop.

Daniel Foulkes , age 14

Daniel Foulkes was killed by a speeding

motorbiker in Ellesmere Port. He was a

keen young footballer who played for

Manchester City youth team and dreamt of

playing professionally. He was on his way to

a local park to meet his friends, cycling

along the pavement. He got off his bike to

wheel it across the road. The motorbiker had been weaving in and

out of traffic and was doing 80mph in a 40mph zone. He clipped

the wheel of Daniel’s bike which sent him flying into the air. Daniel

later died in hospital from head injuries.

CASE STUDY

ADVICE FROM BRAKE – RURAL ROADS

Go very slow for sharp bends and presume a bend is sharp if you

don’t know. Never ‘straight line’ a bend. If you can’t follow the

shape of the bend you are probably driving too fast. Only overtake

if you are 100% certain the road is clear and you can overtake

without going too fast for the conditions or breaking the limit.

Stay within the limit, particularly on narrow or bendy roads.

No answer

Daily or more


Once a week

Once a month


Never

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Percentage


10 Road Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2003)11 Tomorrow’s roads – safer for everyone, The first three year review (Department for Transport, April 2004)12 Road Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2003)

4

SPEEDThe Green Flag Report on Speed 2004 PART TWO

Q7: Within the past 12 months, how often have you driven

at 80mph or faster on a 70mph motorway or dual

carriageway?

Motorways are often thought to be safer than other roads, but

motorway crashes are often at high speed and involve a number

of vehicles increasing the chance of fatality of occupants. 224 people

died and 1,283 were seriously injured on motorways in 2002.

Despite this death toll, almost three out of five drivers said they had

exceeded 80mph on a motorway or dual

carriageway in the past year, with one in 20 doing so every day.

• 59% said they had driven at 80mph or more on a motorway or dual carriageway






• 39% said they never did more than 80mph on this type of road


Figure 4: Drivers who did 80mph or more on motorways and dual

carriageways

THE FACTS – MOTORWAY CRASHES

There are fewer crashes on motorways, because there are fewer

hazards (such as pedestrians, cyclists or junctions) and most

vehicles drive at a constant speed. However, when crashes do

occur, they are more likely to be fatal, because of the high speeds

involved. 2% of motorway crashes are fatal, compared to 1.4% of

all crashes. Motorway crashes are also more likely to result in a

pile up and therefore in multiple deaths and injuries. In addition,

congestion and tailbacks after a motorway crash may result in

further crashes.

Do you overtake safely?

Q8: Many drivers break speed limits to overtake other

vehicles. Within the past 12 months, how often have you

done this in a 30mph zone?

Overtaking at speed on urban roads not only puts the lives of drivers

and passengers at risk but also vulnerable road users such as

cyclists and pedestrians. Despite this, more than four out of ten

drivers (41%) admitted to speeding to overtake in a 30mph zone in

the past 12 months. More than one in eight said they did so at least

once a week.

• 41% admitted to speeding to overtake in a 30mph zone in the past

12 months

• 3% said they did this daily or more than once every day





• 58% said they never overtook in a 30mph zone


Q9: Many drivers break speed limits to overtake other

vehicles. Within the past 12 months, how often have you

done this on a derestricted, single carriageway road (60mph

limit for cars)?

Many fatal high-speed collisions are caused by drivers overtaking

dangerously on rural roads. Yet half of all respondents admitted to

speeding on derestricted single carriageway roads in order to

overtake and a quarter said they did this once a month or more.

• 50% admitted to speeding to overtake on a single carriageway,

derestricted (60mph) rural road in the past year





• 49% said they never overtook on 60mph rural roads


ADVICE FROM BRAKE – OVERTAKING

Overtaking is a risky manoeuvre and should not be undertaken

at high speed. Drivers that overtake sometimes say: “I overtook

as quickly as possible in case something was coming the other

way.” Yet the faster you drive, the more likely you are to kill

yourself and others if you do hit an oncoming vehicle. If you have

to speed to overtake, you shouldn’t be overtaking at all. Unless

you are overtaking a stationary or extremely slow moving vehicle

(such as a tractor), overtaking is unlikely to make much

difference to your journey time, so is often not worth the risk.

Q10: Within the past 12 months, how often have you

overtaken when there was a chance you could have hit

something you couldn’t see?

Overtaking blind is appallingly dangerous, irresponsible and

regularly kills. Yet one in ten drivers admitted doing it and one in

25 said they did so at least once a week.

• 11% admitted to overtaking blind in the past year






• 87% said they never overtook blind


No answer

Daily or more


Once a week

Once a month


Never

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Percentage

5

SPEED

Do you feel pressured to drive faster?

Q11: Within the past 12 months, how often have you felt under

pressure from other drivers to drive faster?

Nearly two in three respondents said they feel pressured by other

drivers to go faster – not surprising given that so many drivers

break speed limits. Almost a quarter said this happened several

times a week or more.

• 64% said they had felt under pressure from other drivers to go

faster

• 10% said this happened daily or more than once a day

• 14% said this happened several times a week

• 14% said this happened about once a week

• 11% said this happened about once a month

• 14% said this happened less than once a month

• 35% said this had not happened to them


Q12: If you have felt under pressure, how often did this

pressure make you drive faster?

Many drivers put themselves and others at risk because of pressure

from other drivers to go faster. Almost half of respondents have

gone faster because of pressure from other drivers. More than a

quarter said this happened once a month or more.

Of drivers who answered ‘yes’ to Q11 (540 in total):

• 49% said pressure from other drivers made them drive faster

• 4% said this happened daily or more than once every day

• 6% said this happened several times a week

• 8% said this happened about once a week

• 8% said this happened about once a month

• 23% said this happened less than once a month

• 51% said this hadn’t happened to them

ADVICE FROM BRAKE – COPING WITH DRIVER STRESS

Driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a regular

basis. It requires full concentration. Drive calmly, and try not to

get worked up by other drivers. Predict and accept things that

bother you on the road and make a decision not to let them wind

you up. You are right to stay within the speed limit even if

everybody around you seems to want to go faster. Calm,

controlled breathing may help to release muscular tension and

relieve stress when driving. If you feel your driving is being

affected by stress, you should consult a doctor or your manager,

Trade Union representative or local Citizen’s Advice Bureau if you

are driving for work.

What if you knocked someone over?

Q13: If a car hits a pedestrian at 20mph, what do you think their

chance of survival would be?

Many drivers are unaware that slower speeds save lives. Half of

respondents thought a pedestrian hit at 20mph stands a 25%

chance or less of surviving. A third thought a pedestrian stands a

10% chance or less of surviving at this speed. In fact, at this speed

there is a 95% chance a pedestrian will survive.

This may help explain why many drivers do not understand the

importance of 20mph and 30mph limits. If drivers think the odds are

already against the survival of a pedestrian who is hit at 20mph,

they will be less inclined to worry about breaking 20mph and 30mph

limits. In fact, driving a few miles per hour faster does make a

massive difference – potentially the difference between life and

death to a cyclist or pedestrian.

• 11% thought a pedestrian would have no chance of survival

• 23% thought a pedestrian would have a 1-10% chance of survival

• 16% thought a pedestrian would have an 11-25% chance of survival




• 2% thought a pedestrian would have a 100% chance of survival


Q14: If a car hits a pedestrian at 40mph, what do you think their

chance of survival would be?

A pedestrian hit at 40mph only has a 15% chance of survival.

Respondents estimated this much more accurately than when

asked about a pedestrian being hit at 20mph. The average estimate

was a 9% chance of survival.

• 48% thought a pedestrian would have no chance of survival


• 10% thought a pedestrian would have an 11-25% chance of survival




• 2% thought a pedestrian would have a 100% chance of survival


Leah Giles , age 19

Leah was killed in a head-on collision on 9

September 1997 by a driver overtaking

another car on the brow of a hill. Leah,

driving back from her waitressing job, died

immediately. The other driver later died in

hospital. Although it could not be proved

that he was speeding at the time, witnesses

said the driver had been racing his new car along that stretch of

road earlier. Leah leaves behind her parents, her brother Matthew

and both sets of grandparents.

CASE STUDY

Richard Longworth , age 39

Richard was killed in his car in a head-on

collision caused by another car driver

overtaking on a blind bend on a dark

country road in Hertfordshire. The driver

who caused the crash was working at the

time, ‘road testing’ a new car model on

local public roads and was following a

colleague in a car infront.

CASE STUDY


6

Figure 5: Survival rate of pedestrians hit by a car doing 20mph and 40mph (%)

THE FACTS – PEDESTRIAN CASUALTIES

A pedestrian hit by a vehicle at 20mph has a 95% chance of

surviving. At 40mph, there’s a 85% chance they’ll be dead. It’s

as simple as that.

It’s around the 30mph mark that there is most at stake – a

pedestrian hit by a vehicle at 35mph is twice as likely to be killed

as a pedestrian hit at 30mph. This is because a driver’s braking

distance increases in proportion to the square of their speed.

So as speed increases the speed of impact – and therefore injury

severity - increases at an even greater rate.

In 2002, 32% of all road deaths and 53% of all serious injuries

were on 30mph roads. The risk of death and injury is high despite

the relatively low speed limit because there are more pedestrians

and cyclists about.

Q15: Do you think there should be 20mph limits on roads

outside schools?

Pedestrian and cyclist casualties peak in the early morning(between 8am and 9am) and then again in the afternoon (between3pm and 6pm).13 An overwhelming majority of drivers (nearly nineout of ten) are in favour of 20mph limits outside schools.

• 89% said yes

• 6% said no

• 3% didn’t know

• 1% didn’t answer

THE FACTS - SAVE OUR SCHOOLS!

Children are at their most vulnerable when they are walking or

cycling to and from school in the busy rush hour. Unsurprisingly,

child casualties peak in the early morning when children are going

to school and then again in the mid to late afternoon when

children are coming home from school and playing outside. 14

One of the simplest and most effective ways of reducing casualties

at these times is to introduce 20mph limits throughout residential

areas where children are about, but most urgently around all

schools. However, because the Department for Transport has

devolved responsibility for setting local speed limits to local

authorities, there is no way of knowing how many pupils still face

a daily risk going to and from schools situated on 40mph, 50mph

or even 60mph roads.

As parents become increasingly concerned about their children’s

safety on roads (see Q16 below), fewer and fewer children are

walking to school – it’s estimated that one in five cars on the road

just before 9am is on the school run. Ironically, it is children

whose parents are not able (for whatever reason) to drive them

to school who are most at risk from the increasing volume of

traffic on the roads. Often this means children from deprived

backgrounds are most at risk.

The Government has produced an action plan and good practice

guide for ‘Travelling to school’ to encourage more walking and

cycling as well as bus use.15 Organisations such as Sustrans and

Transport 2000 also run similar ‘Safe Routes to School’ campaigns

(www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk).

Aaron Turner , age 12

Aaron was killed a few days after his twelfth

birthday by a young speeding driver. He was

crossing the road outside his school to buy

a can of coke during his lunch break when

he was knocked down. Witnesses said that

the car came out of nowhere: the driver

was estimated to be doing more than

40mph in a 30mph zone. Aaron’s best friend Danny lay in the road

with Aaron until the ambulance arrived. When Aaron’s mum Sara

arrived at the hospital she was told the doctors were trying to

revive him but Aaron later died from his injuries. Sara says his

family and friends were shattered and broken by his death. Aaron

leaves behind five sisters.

CASE STUDY

20mph 40mph

100

80

60

40

20

0

Actual survival rate

Average survival rate estimated by respondents

95

32

15 9

Figure 6: Should there be 20mph limits on roads outside schools?

no 6%don’t know 3%

yes 89%

no answer 1%


14 Road Casualties Great Britain 2002: Annual Report (Department for Transport, 2003)15 Travelling to school: a good practice guide (Department for Transport/Department for Education and Skills, 2003)

SPEED

7

Enforcing the speed limit

Q17: Do you think speed cameras reduce road casualties?

Support for speed cameras is falling, following virulent anti-cameracampaigns in some sections of the media in 2003 and 2004. Just50% of respondents thought speed cameras help reduce road casualties, compared to an average 74% who supported the use of speed cameras in a 2003 poll. 18

• 50% said yes

• 35% said no



THE MYTH – SPEED CAMERAS ARE A ‘TAX ON THE INNOCENT

MOTORIST’

A series of misleading reports about speed cameras appeared

in the press towards the end of 2003. Many of these reports

reinforced the erroneous belief of some drivers that speeding is

not a ‘real’ crime. They also falsely claimed that speed cameras

are ‘revenue-making tools’ for the police.

Drivers who comply with speed laws are not penalised. All

monies raised in fines are given to the Treasury, which then

returns funds required by local ‘Safety Camera Partnerships’ to

operate and publicise speed cameras. Cameras free up police

time, potentially enabling officers to tackle other traffic offences

such as drink-driving or non-compliance with seat-belt law.

Yet the lack of publicity about the effectiveness of speed

cameras (see below) means they continue to be maligned in

some media, a likely cause for the declining support among the

public.

THE FACTS – SPEED CAMERAS SAVE LIVES

Data from a two-year pilot at speed camera sites operated by

Safety Camera Partnerships shows that:

• Deaths and serious injuries fell by an average of 35% at

camera sites, which means that over the two-year pilot

period about 280 deaths and serious injuries were prevented.

Across the pilot areas, there was a reduction of 4% (530

deaths and serious injuries);19

• Average speeds at camera sites fell by 10%;

• Average speeds at camera sites in urban areas (30mph and

40mph limits) fell by 12-13%;

• The number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit fell by 67%

at fixed and 37% at mobile camera sites;

• The number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by more

than 15mph fell by 96% at fixed sites and 55% at mobile

camera sites.20

The majority of speed cameras are located on roads with lower

speed limits – typically urban 30mph zones – because this is

where a small reduction in speed produces the most significant

reduction in deaths and injuries.

don’t worry 8%

children don’t go unaccompanied as too young 9%

worry about speeding traffichitting their children 80%

no answer 2%

Q16: Do you worry that your children may be hit by speeding

traffic when on foot or bicycle?

Four out of five parents say they are concerned about their children’s safety on roads. Yet incredibly, almost two-thirds (63%) ofparents who said they worry their children may be hit by speedingtraffic when on foot or bicycle, also admitted to driving at 35mph orfaster in a 30mph zone over the past year. 38% of parents worriedabout their children admitted to speeding to overtake in a 30mphzone, and 90% to having broken the limit on any type of road overthe past year. Parents who worry about their own children are actually putting other people's children at risk on the road.

450 respondents had children and answered this question. Of those:

• 80% said yes

• 8% said no

• 9% said they didn’t let their children walk or cycle unaccompanied because they were too young


Figure 7: Parents’ fear of speeding traffic

THE FACTS – CHILD PEDESTRIAN DEATHS

Parents are right to worry about their children’s safety on the

road. In the UK, road crashes are the biggest cause of death

to 12-16 year-olds. The UK has one of the worst records

for killing children on foot in Western Europe, with 79 child

pedestrians killed and 2,749 seriously injured in 2002, many on

30mph roads in urban residential areas. The number of child

pedestrians killed and seriously injured is falling, but not as fast

as it has done.16 Traffic danger is the most commonly cited

reason for accompanying primary children to school, ahead of

fear of assault. 17

PROFESSOR TIM COATS, HONORARY CONSULTANT IN

EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT LEICESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY,

says:

“Road traffic death and injury is the hidden epidemic of modern

society and the severity of injury is directly related to the speed of

impact. Injury or death has a huge effect on patients and their

relatives. Inappropriate speeds result in shattered bones and

shattered lives. If you think it’s okay to drive fast, come and listen

while I tell a mother that her child was too badly injured for us to

save their life. You will soon change your mind.”


17 National Travel Survey 2002 (Department for Transport, April 2004)

18 A ‘poll of polls’ by Transport 2000, based on six different surveys

19A camera ‘site’ is defined as 400-1500m for fixed cameras, 400-3000m for mobile cameras, 3000-10000m for digital cameras and 50m for red-light cameras.

20A cost recovery system for speed and red-light cameras: two year pilot evaluation (Department for Transport, 2003). The pilot covered eight Safety Camera Partnership areas based on existing police force areas. The Department for Transport will publish a Three Year Report on the Safety Camera Partnership scheme in summer 2004.


8

Q18: What colour do you think speed cameras should be

painted?

One in four respondents agreed that speed cameras should be

painted grey so that speeding drivers are less able to slow down for

a camera then speed up again afterwards. If you stay within the

limit, you do not need to spot cameras and you will not be penalised.

• 59% said cameras should be painted yellow or another bright colour so drivers do know their locations

• 26% said they should be painted grey or another inconspicuous colour so drivers don’t know their locations



SPEED CAMERA VISIBILITY

Under guidelines issued by the Department for Transport in 2001,

all cameras operated by Safety Camera Partnerships must be

bright yellow. Cameras in areas of outstanding natural beauty are

sometimes exempt. Mobile camera equipment is often in highly

visible police-marked vans. Brake believes visible posting of speed

limits, so drivers know the law, is far more important than visible

cameras.

Q19: Do you think speed cameras should be placed on roads

outside schools?

Almost four out of five respondents support the use of speed

cameras outside schools, demonstrating that there is support for

locating speed cameras on a risk assessment basis, not just where

casualties have already occurred (as stipulated by government

criteria).

• 78% said yes

• 14% said no



Q20: Do you think police should be allowed to use mobile

speed camera units in vans?

Police mobile speed camera units are useful to catch drivers who

try to avoid fixed cameras, or slow down then speed up again when

they see one. Mobile cameras have been described by the tabloids

as ‘sneaky’, yet a majority of drivers (62%) support the use of mobile

camera units by police.

• 62% said yes

• 27% said no



Q21: Which of the following would persuade you personally

to take more care on the road?

One in three respondents rate Government advertising campaigns

as an effective tool to improve road safety. Nearly two out of three

respondents claim more visible traffic policing would encourage

them to drive more safely. In fact, the number of police officers

assigned to traffic duties fell by 12% from 1997/8 to 2001/2,

although both traffic volumes and incidents increased steadily

over the same period. 21

Respondents were more wary of tougher penalties for traffic

offences than of getting caught by a speed camera. This suggests

that until the penalty for speeding is increased to create a

substantial deterrent, e.g. more penalty points and a larger fine,

with the possibility of a custodial sentence or permanent ban for

the most persistent offenders, drivers will continue to view speed

cameras as an annoyance rather than an effective tool for enforcing

the law and saving lives.

• 63% said more visible traffic policing

• 48% said tougher penalties for traffic offences

• 36% said more enforcement cameras

• 33% said more Government advertising on road safety

• 6% said none of the above would persuade them to take more care

Speeding and the law

Q22: If you had to decide how the legal system should punish a

driver whose speeding had killed someone, what penalty would

you give them?

Although most drivers (88%) admit to speeding, they are also

adamant that the law should be tough on speeding drivers who kill.

More than 70% think a prison sentence of two years or more is

appropriate for this offence, and a one in five favour sentences of 15

years or more. Clearly, most drivers see ‘other drivers’, not

themselves, as the problem. Drivers may recognise that they speed,

but not that their speeding has the potential to kill.

• 3% said no jail term, just a fine

• 6% said up to 6 months in jail

• 12% said 6 months to 2 years in jail

• 17% said 2 to 5 years in jail



• 19% said more than 15 years in jail


SAFETY CAMERA PARTNERSHIPS

Police and highway authorities have been using speed cameras

in the UK since 1991. In 1998-2000 the first eight Safety Camera

Partnerships were established between local authorities, police,

highway and in some cases health authorities. The majority of

cameras now come under the Safety Camera Partnership

scheme. As of April 2004, there were 35 Safety Camera

Partnerships in operation, covering 38 of the 43 police

authorities in England and Wales. There were 5,040 fixed and

mobile camera locations, of which 432 were at traffic lights and

of the remainder approximately two-thirds were mobile and

one-third fixed. For more information on speed cameras visit

www.nationalsafetycameras.co.uk.

21Roles and Responsibilities report (Highways Agency/Association of Chief Police Officers, 2003)

SPEED

9

Q23: If you had to decide how the legal system should

punish a driver whose overtaking on a blind bend had killed

someone, what penalty would you give them?

Respondents are adamant that overtaking blind is not acceptable,

with virtually all drivers (98% of those who responded) saying that

drivers who kill somebody in this way deserve to go to prison, and

more than one in four (28%) saying they deserve a sentence of 15

years or more. Yet, incredibly (see Q10), one in ten admit to doing

just this – overtaking blind and running a very real risk of causing

death or injury.

• 2% said no jail term, just a fine

• 2% said up to 6 months in jail

• 8% said 6 months to 2 years in jail




• 28% said more than 15 years in jail


Figure 8: How would you punish a driver who killed while overtaking

on a blind bend?

THE FACTS – CHARGES AND PENALTIES FOR ROAD TRAFFIC

OFFENCES

The maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving is

14 years in prison. However, the majority of people convicted of

this offence receive sentences of around 5-6 years or less. Many

more drivers who have caused a death are not charged with this

offence at all, but with the lesser charge of ‘careless driving’,

which allows them to walk free, often with just a small fine and

a temporary ban.

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2

• Use targeted media campaigns and advertising to combat

anti-camera campaigns and increase public support for speed

cameras.

• Equip all police forces with portable radar guns to survey speeds

for concerned communities if it is felt that limits are being broken.

• Ensure that all police force areas in the UK have a Safety Camera

Partnership up and running by the end of 2004.

Education (speed awareness)

The Government should:

• Make more funding available for more high-profile, peak-time,

year-round advertising on television and radio about the risks of

speeding. Advertising needs to be targeted and it needs to be

educational. This should include specific campaigns on the

dangers of different types of speeding and overtaking, such as on

rural roads, in residential areas, at night and in bad weather, and

the dangers speeding drivers pose to cyclists and pedestrians.

Campaigns should be specifically targeted at young drivers,

middle-aged company car drivers and motorbikers.

• Aim to make speeding socially unacceptable.

Engineering


• Work with the EC and motor manufacturers to develop

restrictions on the top speeds and powers of new cars and

motorbikes.

• Work with the EC and motor manufacturers to introduce digital

speedometers so that drivers are always aware of their exact

speed.

• Investigate the feasibility of requiring all vehicles, not just

commercial trucks, to be fitted with speed limiting devices.

Enforcement


• Review the penalty points system for speeding offences and

ensure a larger number of points are awarded for more serious

speeding offences.

• Make all driving bans a minimum period (e.g. 12 months) to

ensure they are an effective enforcement measure.

• Monitor the effectiveness of ‘speed awareness courses’ being

offered to speeding offenders by some police forces. If found to be

effective in reducing re-offending rates, the Government should

extend these schemes.

• Make greater use of vehicle-activated speed warnings signs which

have proven very effective in making drivers acknowledge their

own speeding.

The Green Flag Report on Speed 2004 PART TWO

Recommendations for Government

action to tackle speeding drivers

Brake, with Green Flag Motoring Assistance’s support, is forwarding

this report to Government with the following recommendations for

action by the Department for Transport and the Home Office to tackle

speeding. For further explanation of any of these policy points, please

contact Brake.

Speed limits


• Conduct an urgent review of all speed limits based on assessment

of risk, especially 60mph limits on single carriageway, derestricted

rural roads and in built-up areas.

• Introduce mandatory speed limits of no higher than 20mph in

defined residential areas, particularly around schools, shops and

hospitals.

• Monitor the number of 20mph limits introduced by local authorities.

• Ensure that speed limits are always clearly signposted, particularlyat camera sites.

• Remove restrictions which make it difficult for local councils to

erect repeater speed limit signs in urban areas.

Speed cameras


• Remove restrictions on speed camera location that currently

require four people to have been killed or seriously injured at that

location before a camera can be installed – this restriction runs

counter to the police and local authority duty of care to take all

reasonable action to protect citizens from harm caused by criminal

behaviour.

• Install speed cameras around all schools.

• Ensure that all speed cameras are of the modern, digital variety

that judge a vehicle’s average speed over a distance, rather than at

one fixed point.

• Publish and publicise speed and casualty reduction data (‘before

and after’ data) for all Safety Camera Partnerships on an annual

basis.

• Publish the financial accounts of every Safety Camera Partnership

to provide transparency about the use of revenue from fines.

• Invest any monies remaining with the Treasury after covering the

running costs of the Safety Camera Partnerships in carefully

researched road safety measures – this expenditure should be

published in a detailed annual report by the Department for

Transport about its road safety expenditure.

For more advice on safe driving, visit Green Flag’s website,

www.greenflag.com

For advice on safe driving, general information on road safety

and details of road safety campaigns and events, including Road

Safety Week, call Brake on 01484 559909,

e-mail [email protected], or visit www.brake.org.uk or

www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk.

For more information on Government campaigns on safe driving,

visit the Department for Transport’s Think! website,

www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk


This report was produced by Brake, the road safety

charity (charity no. 1093244), with assistance from

Green Flag Motoring Assistance

© Brake, May 2004

Research and production: Cathy Keeler, Ruth Harper, Jools Townsend.

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