Safe Speed issued the following PR at 15:48 this afternoon:
PR250: Government report shows that speeding is a very minor crash cause
news: for immediate release
The recently released official report: "In depth study of Motorcycle
Accidents" states clearly that only 3.5% of crashes involved 'speeding'
(exceeding the speed limit). Of those only 62% involved the motorcyclist
speeding, so only 2.2% of motorcyclists were speeding when they crashed. This
contrasts with literally 100% of respondents who admitted speeding, with 58%
admitting speeding 'always' or 'frequently'.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(
www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "Every single time we obtain or derive
information about the involvement of 'speeding' in crash contribution the
figures are absolutely tiny. While speeding is extremely commonplace, with 60%
of vehicles speeding at sample sites on most road types, we always find that
well over 95% of crashes do not involve speeding."
"One might conclude that 'speeding' is at least 10 times safer than 'not
speeding' based on these figures, but the truth is that speeding and crashes
take place largely at different places and different times. The reason is
simple. Drivers and riders tend to speed where the road is clear and tend to
slow down where there are hazards that may cause a crash. This behaviour is
vital to road safety."
"Once again these figures show how misguided government road safety policy is.
90% of the effort is directed towards 3% of the problem. Unfortunately this
means that 98% of crash causes are inadequately addressed - a sin of
omission that makes the roads far more dangerous than they should be."
"While motorcyclists take a great deal of criticism for being reckless
speeders, this report reveals the vital truth that almost all of them use
speed safely and responsibly almost all of the time."
It is extremely misleading when the DfT claim - as they have recently - that
about 30% of fatalities involve 'excessive speed' because:
* Most of the 30% DOES NOT involve exceeding a speed limit. 'Excessive speed'
in these terms includes both exceeding a speed limit AND travelling at an
inappropriate speed for the conditions. We know from sample data that 70% of
excessive speed crashes do not involve 'speeding'.
* A significant proportion of the remainder involves extremely reckless
behaviours that are alien to most of the people affected by speed enforcement.
Such behaviours include speeding drunks, speeding stolen vehicles, reckless
types racing on the highway and so on.
* Safe Speed estimates that less than 5% of all roads fatalities involve
otherwise responsible motorists travelling in excess of a speed limit.
<ends>
Notes for editors
=================
New DfT report:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_035422.pdf
See report page 35, PDF page 36.
Earlier Safe Speed PRs on the same subject:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr110.html
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/pr112.html
all in all agood day
Went to the NEC on Saturday and thought at the time that there were more people than last year MCN web site says Saturday attendance was up 25%. Me and the missus enjoyed the show she had her photo with Leon Haslam (nice guy) and I managed to get a new Arai £100 off. Waiting to see the new K1200RT which should be out soon I liked the look of the 1200GSA but its too tall for me.
