Monday, October 16, 2006 - 05:53 pm, by: Gareth Richards(Garethr)
This is from Autocar (UK) 11 October 2006
It's not just speed that kills
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN ROAD ACCIDENTS
-- Driver error or reaction 66% Including Failed to look properly 32% Failed to judge other person's path or speed 18% Poor turn or manoeuvre 15% Loss of Control 14% Sudden braking 7%
-- Injudicious Action -- 28% Including: Exceeding speed limit 5% Too fast for conditions 12% Following too close 7% Disobeyed "Give Way" or "Stop" sign 4%
-- Behaviour or Inexperience 25% Including Careless, reckless, in a hurry 16% Aggressive driving 4% Inexperienced/learner driver 5%
-- Road environment contributed 15% Including Road layout 4% Object or animal in road 1%
-- Pedestrian Only 13% Including Pedestrian failed to look properly 9% Careless, reckless, in a hurry 3%
-- Impairment or Distraction 12% Including Impaired by alcohol 5% Distraction in vehicle 2%
-- Vision affected 10% Including Affected by parked vehicle 3% Affected by road layout 2%
-- Special codes 5% Emergency vehicle on call 5%
-- Vehicle defects 2% Including Brakes 1% Tyres 1%
These figures are taken from a UK Government report published by the Department for Transport. The total is greater than 100% because there can be up to 6 contributory factors per incident.
When the apparent discrepancy between the proportion of accidents caused by speeding, and the importance speeding occupies in government thinking, was raised with the Department for Transport, the spokesman said: "Speed cameras are there to save lives and numerous studies have proved this. The fact that exceeding the speed limit is responsible for five per cent of crashes isn't the issue – speed is." http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9620 http://www.metro.co.uk/home/article.html?in_article_id=20356&in_page_id=1
Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 08:02 am, by: Tref Abbott(Tref)
Oops- I went past one of those 4WD's parked with speed camera's etc on the motorway near Maroochydore. I had just come out of a reduced speed limit (80k) and was into the 100k area. I was doing about 115 K's but I slowed right down before I got to the 4WD. There was definately no flash set off but with my luck that doesn't mean anything. Any idea whether I would have been caught guys? (ps ultra pessimists need not answer- I'm pissed off enough already)
Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 08:07 am, by: Tref Abbott(Tref)
Also on this gorgeous e-mail about the kids- it reminded me of a story I heard many years ago (yeah, in the UK) that when fixed speed cameras first came out, a couple of brothers aged about 12 worked out that the camera is set off by a sensor in the road. So they went to that area late at night (when there were less or no cars about) and as one posed in the road, his brother hit where the speed sensor was with a large hammer. Apparently eventually they set it off so many times (thus photographing themselves) that the camera ran out of film.
I don't know if this is one of those old urban myths but I hope not. Somehow I wish I could've met those kids and bought 'em a beer.
Thursday, November 09, 2006 - 08:48 am, by: Tim Appleton(Timbo)
No flash generally means that you're ok. You'll see the flash from a box placed in front of the car. The camera is pointed out the front window, so you have to watch that they don't get you on-coming (they can't do that in NSW apparently). They're usually easy to spot and evade when they are facing the direction you are travelling.