Read full
Wall Street Journal article here.
The
Daily Telegraph. (September 18, 2006)
$20m
fall in speed fines
By Kelvin Bissett, Investigations Editor
The article stated, "MOTORISTS have turned the tables on
the hated fixed speed cameras, slashing their fines revenue
by more than $20 million in just one year."
Fixed speed camera revenue reduced from $54.1 million in 2004-2005
to $33.4 million in 2005-06.
The article went on to state. "The sudden fall is partly
due to a decision by Treasurer Michael Costa, roads minister,
to reduce the least serious speeding fine from $130 to $77."
It also stated that the total number of fines issued has fallen
by 12 per cent. The NRMA suggested the effectiveness of the
fixed cameras was on the wane and drivers are now getting smart
about the locations of the cameras and it was time to shift
the resources to highway patrol police to keep the road toll
down.
The NRMA
believes the Government needs to give police more resources
for Highway Patrol and that cameras, with their delayed fines
through the mail, were no substitute for a police officer pulling
over a speeding driver.
Read full
article here.
Herald
Sun. (August 23, 2006)
Article
headed "Ruling puts speed camera pictures in doubt"
The article stated that the New South Wales Government may have
to pay back millions of dollars in speeding fines issued over
the past decade after a ruling by a Sydney court.
It stated that According to the Channel 7, the NSW District
Court ruled late yesterday that all photographs used by the
RTA were inadmissible.
The court ruled in favour of a motorist who claimed there was
a technical fault in a speed camera photo of his vehicle and
the court agreed with lawyer Dennis Miralis that legislation
suggested that each of the cameras were supposed to be calibrated
every single day to be accurate, but found that this was not
the case, Seven said tonight.
It ruled that the cameras were calibrated only once every year
and therefore they would be inadmissible evidence for speeding
fines issued in the past 10 years as well as those in the future.
Of
course the RTA will be appealing the ruling.
Read full
article here.
Gold
Coast Bulletin Camera Lies.
A Grandfather
defends himself in court and wins.The Magistrate said he had
reasonable doubt the speed camera had been set up correctly
even though the government electronic technician had said there
was no reason the device was not correct.
The story
also made A Current Affair but no link.
Read full
article here.
British
Institute of Advanced Motorists Chief thanks UK Road Safety
Minister for halting the installation of more speed cameras.
In a press
release dated 7 December 2005 the AIM had
the following to say.
SPEED
CAMERA “PLAGUE” STILL ERODING DRIVER CONFIDENCE,
SAYS IAM CHIEF
The damaging effect on relations between the driver and the
police caused by a "plague" of speed cameras, coupled
with the "robotic issue of tough penalties" has continued
to damage road safety, the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists)
said today (Wednesday 7 December 2005).
Speaking at the IAM Annual Lunch in London, IAM Chairman John
Maxwell told guests, including guest speaker, Road Safety Minister
Dr Stephen Ladyman, that too many drivers and rider are still
convinced that the safety camera regime is about income-generation,
not road safety.
Mr Maxwell, said: "Speed limits must be worthy of respect,
if they are not to be ignored, and that it is both essential
and urgent that we settle on a sensible regime of limits and
their enforcement."
The IAM
welcomes the Road Safety Bill because it will enable the Minister
to display in legislative terms what has been described as a
"new deal" with drivers and riders, who should be
seen as part of the solution, not just the problem.
"We
are pleased that the Bill proposes graduated fixed penalties
for speeding offences, which will, we're sure, go a long way
to reassuring law-abiding drivers, who presently feel victimised
when prosecuted for relatively minor infringements," said
Mr Maxwell.
He went
on to describe as entirely sensible the proposals relating to
drinking and driving, driver fatigue, the re-training of seriously
bad drivers and the better regulation of driving instructors.
Mr Maxwell
thanked the Minister for halting the installation of more speed
cameras until a thorough review of their road-safety value can
be completed.
"But
do please accept that in addition to the review of camera-use
there needs to be a proper review of speed limits themselves
– allowing for the possibility of raising limits under
some circumstances, and looking to replace automatic, inflexible,
indiscriminate detection and enforcement with discretion."
Mr Maxwell
said that the IAM is marking its 50th year in 2006 and that
following its own strategic review it is determined to be bigger,
better and more influential in the cause of road safety.
__________
1. The IAM
(Institute of Advanced Motorists), which marks its 50th anniversary
in 2006, is the UK's largest dedicated road safety charity which
saves lives on the road by enabling people to drive better.
For some time it has been the leading provider of advanced driving
tests for private motorists and is now the UK’s largest
supplier of risk management and driver training for fleet operators.
Since 1956, nearly half a million drivers and riders have passed
the advanced driving test.
2. Issued by the IAM Press Office NR/17/05
The
smoking gun - speed cameras are killing responsible motorists.
Secret UK Study: Speed
Cameras Increase Injury Accidents.
A UK government
study shows speed cameras increase accidents 31 percent on freeways,
55 percent in work zones. Full article The
Newspaper.
The UK Department
for Transport funded, then suppressed, a study that shows a
55 percent increase in injury accidents when speed cameras are
used on highway work zones and a 31 percent increase when used
on freeways without construction projects. According to the
Transport Research Laboratory, the "non-works [personal
injury accident] rate is significantly higher for the sites
with speed cameras than the rate for sites without."
An analysis
of this data, buried on page 43 of the report, yields the following
result:Effect on Personal Injury Accidents
Enforcement
Type: Construction Zone No Construction
Conventional
speed cameras 55% increase 31% increase
Speed-averaging cameras (SPECS) 4.5% increase 6.7%
increase
Police patrols 27% reduction 10% reduction
<http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/pix/trl595.gif>
View Table 3.18 in original format
Although
the Department for Transport's Highways Agency funded the study,
no information regarding these results was ever made public
until a Freedom of Information Act request was honored earlier
this month.
The Transport
Research Laboratory attempted to suppress the UK taxpayer-funded
study further by charging £40 (US $72) for access to the
results. Moreover, the study's executive summary calculates
only the aggregate accident rate including the benefit of manned
police patrol cars in the work zones.
The significant
decrease in accidents from a human police presence was used
to offset the increase in camera accidents. "It is outrageous
that this sort of information has been hidden from the public,"
said Safe
Speed road safety campaign founder Paul
Smith whose FOIA request uncovered the study's existence.
"We
have all seen strange driver behaviour where fixed speed cameras
operate. This report highlights the dangers. We're not surprised
to see this information -- we have known for years that speed
cameras were the wrong road safety strategy, and it's a huge
relief to see the truth coming out so clearly"
The TRL
study compared accident reports covering 29 highway construction
zone projects over 730km of road from November 2001 to July
2003 with an equivalent period without the construction zones,
controlling for changes in traffic volume. In the US, the state
of Illinois
plans to implement a similar freeway work zone speed camera
program within the next few months.
The full
text of this taxpayer-funded public policy document is available
in 620K PDF format at the source link below.
Source:
Safety
Performance of Traffic Management (PDF)
at Major Motorway Road Works (Transport Research Laboratories,
8/5/2005)
Permanent
Link Here
Roads
fatalities leap 39% at camera sites.
An article
from UK based Safe Speed provides overwhelming evidence of the
tragic failure of speed cameras.
The article
states. "According to official information obtained under
the Freedom of Information act by a member of the public, fatalities
have leapt by an average of almost 40% at speed camera sites
in Cumbria since partnership operations commenced.
Figures
obtained show fatal crashes at speed camera sites as follows:
Before Cumbria
Camera Partnership:
year /
deaths
- 2000
- 10
- 2001-
6
- 2002
- 8
- 2003
- 2 (first quarter)
Total: 26
deaths in 39 months
Average 8 deaths per year
After Cumbria
Camera Partnership:
year /
deaths
- 2003
- 10 (last three quarters)
- 2004
- 12
- 2005
- 5 (up to June 30th)
Total: 25
deaths in 27 months
Average 11.1 deaths per year
Paul Smith,
founder of the Safe
Speed road safety campaign said: "The
full horror of the speed camera program is gradually emerging.
Far from saving lives, speed cameras are killing us. They are
a deadly distraction away from the core values of safe driving."
"The
government has not done their research properly - their claims
are shot through with false assumptions and inadequate data.
There's a lack of understanding
of how road safety works at the highest level. Perhaps we shouldn't
be surprised when the Secretary of State for Transport does
not hold a driving licence."
"The
figures are even worse than they appear because we expect reductions
at camera
sites due a statistical bias known as regression to the mean."
"We
must get these dangerous cameras off the roads right now. People
are dying because of them. The term 'safety camera' will go
down in history as a sick joke."
Paul Smith
challenged Steve Callaghan, the manager of Cumbria Partnership
to debate the issues on BBC Radio Cumbria. He declined. We assume
that they don't have any worthwhile facts to contribute to the
debate. However we would be delighted to be proved wrong and
repeat the challenge - Won't you debate the issues in any national
Mr Callaghan? If you think someone else can do better - nominate
your champion! We'll meet any challenge.
Official materials released under the Freedom of Information
Act here.
Correspondence regarding the Radio Cumbria debate challenge
here.
About
Safe Speed
The
Safe Speed road safety campaign is primarily the work of engineer-turned
road safety analyst Paul Smith. Since setting up Safe Speed
in 2001, Paul Smith, 49, an advanced motorist and road safety
enthusiast, and a professional engineer of 25 years UK experience,
has carried out over 8,000 hours of research into the overall
effects of speed camera policy on UK road safety. We believe
that this is more work in more detail than anything carried
out by any other organisation.
Paul's
surprising conclusion is that overall speed cameras make our
roads more dangerous. Paul has identified and reported a number
of major flaws and false assumptions in the claims made for
speed cameras, and the whole "speed kills" system
of road safety.
The
inescapable conclusion is that we should urgently return to
the excellent road safety policies that gave us in the UK the
safest roads in the World in the first place. Safe Speed does
not campaign against speed limits or appropriate enforcement
of motoring laws, but argues vigorously that automated speed
enforcement is neither safe nor appropriate.
Contact
Safe
Speed.
Secrets
of speed cameras revealed
Ellen Whinnett
Herald Sun article dated 4th August 05.
The article
stated that "MOBILE speed camera readings can be distorted
by metal signs, fences, walls and even Australia Post letter
boxes, according to a secret police document" which Police
have fought to keep a secret.
It went
on to state that potential flaws in the controversial cameras
- which took $104 million in speeding fines from Victorian motorists
in 2004 - are detailed in a confidential police rule book.
The 50-page
book titled "Speed Camera Policy and Operations Manual"
also identified a major weakness in the cameras, which monitor
multi-lane roads. A copy of the document obtained by the Herald
Sun shows:
- "CAMERAS
are not to be set up on bends.
- OPERATORS
must not camouflage or disguise the cameras in a way that
could lead to a public perception of "sly operations".
- CAMERAS
can be used on a downhill road only if the road has a significant
history of speed-related accidents.
- TOLERANCE
levels, where motorists can travel over the speed limit without
being fined, are flexible.
- POLICE
book so many people to reinforce the message that it is not
worth the risk to speed.
- THE locations
of fixed speed cameras are chosen to maximise the number of
people who can be caught speeding.
- CAMERAS
must not be set up within 200m of a change to the speed zone.
- CAMERAS
can be used within 200m of a change to the zone in a children's
crossing area or a school zone with prior approval of senior
police."
The book
also states. "Cameras should not be set up on or near an
overpass, or facing an elevated adjacent road that may carry
traffic past the extended speed camera radar beam.
Other sources
of reflection are pole-mounted electricity supply transformers,
metal signs such as house-for-sale or auction signs and Armco
road barriers.
Metal bus
stop shelters, public telephone booths, Australia Post letter-boxes,
sheet metal garage doors, fences, factory walls and closely
spaced iron picket fences are listed as possible reflectors
capable of distorting speed readings."
There is
much more in the article including the State Opposition taking
the case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal,
arguing police should have released the protocols under Freedom
of Information laws. The Herald Sun and Ellen Whinnett are to
be commended for bringing this information to the public's attention
- read the full story here.
Choice
Magazine.
The speeding
ticket fiasco has reached such proportions that Choice, the
Australian Consumers Association, has taken an interest and
is offering advice on what to do when you get a ticket. In an
article published on their website in July 2005 they state that
one in five drivers receives a ticket within a two year period.
Basically
they say you have three options - pay up, dispute or go to court.
If you want to dispute it they suggest you write a letter to
the agency that issued the ticket and that you normally don't
have to pay the fine until the dispute is resolved - "but
check with the agency to make sure".
They also
state that "if you want to put your side of the story and
have a magistrate decide the matter, inform the agency of this
by filling out the form provided with the infringement notice
or write a letter". They also warn not to ignore the ticket.
One of the
most interesting parts of the article is a section on how you
can apply to possibly get off with a caution. This is only possible
in the ACT, NSW and VIC.
You can
read a full copy of the report by becoming a member of Choice
for $14.50. You can become a member online and and have immediate
access to all their reports for a three month period. Check
it out here.
Do a search for "Spotlight on speeding fines".
Article
from Canberra Times dated 19th June 2005 quoted figures showing
that after speed and red light cameras were installed the crash
rate got worse. It is high time the state governments used cameras
for their intended purpose - safety, not revenue. At least opposition
spokesman Steve Pratt had the guts to speak out about it.
Woman
killed in South Coast road accident.
A woman
was killed in a single-vehicle crash at Surf Beach, near Batemans
Bay, early yesterday. A motorist driving along George Bass Drive
about 12.15am found a car on its roof in a storm-water drain.
The accident
occurred near the intersection with Grandfathers Gully Road.
Police and ambulance attended the scene and found the dead woman
trapped inside. Inquiries are continuing into the cause of the
crash.
"Meanwhile,
figures issued by the ACT Government that show an increase in
car accidents after a number of speed and red-light cameras
were installed in the capital have reignited concern that cameras
raise revenue rather than save lives.
The intersection
of Ginninderra and Aikman drives in Belconnen was the worst,
recording almost double the number of accidents in the 12 months
since the camera installation - 27 compared with 15.
Accidents
at the intersection of Southern Cross Drive and Coulter Drive
also increased from 23 in the year before camera installation
to 35. Other sites recording moderate increases are the intersections
Northbourne Avenue and London Circuit; Barry Drive and Marcus
Clarke Street; and Drakeford Drive and Marconi Crescent.
Opposition
spokesman on urban services Steve Pratt said although he was
not against traffic cameras, the Government needed to re-examine
their use to ensure they were having an impact on improving
road safety, and to reassure the community they were not purely
for the more than $3 million they bring in revenue.
New
Study: Higher Speed Limits Don't Decrease Safety
A new American
study has found that a number of US states that increased speed
limits following the repeal of the 55 mph federal speed limit
did not see any significant increase in fatalities per mile
driven, contrary to many predictions.
The results
published in the July issue of Review of Policy Research come
as several states including Texas, Iowa and Indiana are raising
their maximum allowable speeds. The top legal speed in Texas
will rise as high as 80 miles per hour following legislation
signed into law last week.
An 80 MPH
limit would have been unthinkable between 1974 and 1987 when
the "double nickel" limit of 55 MPH was the law of
the land. (Introduced for the fuel crisis in 1974.) Congress
eased this mandate in 1987 by allowing states to post 65 MPH
daytime limits on rural interstates.
When the
federal limit imposed on the individual states was finally repealed
in 1995, the Department of Transportation predicted an additional
6,400 deaths every year as a result.
Researcher
Robert O. Yowell demonstrates that this increase never happened,
and the US continued to experience a fatality rate that had
declined 63 percent from 1968 to 1991, primarily as a result
of safety improvements to automobiles and increased seat belt
usage.
By examining
this fatality rate in light of the number of vehicle miles traveled,
Yowell found that in each state that raised the limit there
was no significant change in the fatality rate -- except Texas
where it went up and Michigan and Colorado where it went down.
"The estimated effects reveal that the assertion that speed
kills, and more speed kills more is mostly unfounded,"
Yowell concluded. "There is no widespread positive relationship
between raising the speed limit and the fatality rate."
Source:
The Evolution and Devolution of Speed Limit Law and the Effect
on Fatality Rates (Review of Policy Research, 7/1/2005)5 and
theNewspaper.com.
View
article here.
US
Governor bans speed cameras.
Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich vetoed a measure that would
have allowed speed cameras in the state.
Maryland
Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) vetoed a bill on Friday that would
have allowed speed cameras to issue tickets to motorists in
Montgomery County. At least six jurisdictions in the state currently
use red light cameras, but photo radar has never been allowed.
The neighboring District of Columbia uses photo radar which
helped its combined photo enforcement program to bring in over
$100 million in revenue since 1999.
Ehrlich
vetoed HB 443 along with two dozen other measures saying doing
so was "in the best interest of good policy, sound government
and fiscal responsibility for Maryland's citizens." The
photo radar bill passed by wide margins in the Democrat controlled
House (85-42) and Senate (29-17) in April.
Full
article and veto message.
6th December
2004
Road
Toll Drops While VIC Speed Cameras Down.
According to an article in the Melbourne Age on December 2,
2004 by Transport Reporter Dan Silkstone with Kenneth
Nguyene called "Ring
Road mayhem declines without pictures", the number of crashes
and serious injuries on the Western Ring Road appears to be
falling, despite fixed speed cameras having been turned off
since May.
The decline,
shown in police figures, undermines Police Minister Andre Haermeyer's
repeated warnings that the absence of cameras encourages speeding
and other driver misbehaviour.
The article
carries on to say, "It also raises questions about the
Government's strong linking of speed camera enforcement to reductions
in the road toll. The police figures compare Ring Road crash
and injury statistics from 2002 and 2003 with data from the
first 10 months of this year. Between January and the end of
October, there were 60 crashes causing injury on the Ring Road.
The year before, there were 91 injury-causing crashes and 70
in 2002".
As we know
fixed speed cameras were switched off on the road in May last
year when Premier Steve Bracks admitted that tens of thousands
of drivers had been wrongly fined because of faulty cameras.
The Age
went on to say, "The number of crashes is also lower this
year - 208 for the 10 months to October, as opposed to 243 for
all of last year.
The details emerged as fixed cameras were reactivated yesterday
on the Monash Freeway and CityLink, and as Mr Haermeyer announced
that bunkers would be built along the Ring Road to allow for
greater deployment of mobile speed cameras. Fixed cameras will
be reactivated on the Ring Road in mid-2005".
Read the
complete article here.
9th August
2004
Lower
speed limits are a dismal failure.
According to a report on the 4th August in the Central Western
Daily in Orange NSW by Kelly Fitzgerald
the blanket 50km/h speed limit has failed to significantly reduce
the number of traffic accidents in Orange since its introduction
last year.
The report
went on to state that Orange City Council and Canobolas Highway
Patrol representatives say the impact of the lower speed limit
has not lived up to expectations.
Council commercial and emergency services manager Kel Gardiner
said he assumed there would be a significant reduction in the
number of accidents.
"That
probably was the case for the first couple of months, but now
it would appear that accidents are rising to the same number
that were occurring when the 60km limit was in. I don't know
why."
Canobolas
Highway Patrol officer Sergeant Bernie Schulte said there was
a significant reduction in accidents in January 2004 but in
February the accident stats were higher than they had been,
and then they stayed at a level comparable to stats from 2002
and 2003," he said,
"The
whole concept of 50km/h was to reduce crashes, but that hasn't
happened here."
"Eventually people have to come to the realisation that
accidents will always be here, they're part of life. We try
to reduce them as much as we can, but we can't go to the draconian
measure of putting in speed limits that stop traffic,"
he said.
"The more vehicles you have the more accidents you have.
It's as simple as that."
The
statistics also revealed almost 20 per cent of collisions occurred
in car parks.
Read
the full story. Info provided by RoadSense
supporter Warrick.
26th July
2004
The
Great Speed Camera Con Trick
Press release from SafeSpeed in the UK.
For over
three years Safe Speed has been working tirelessly to analyse
the road safety trends in speed camera era. And the trends have
been truly awful. For example:
* National
annual road deaths fell more in EACH of the three years before
speed cameras than they have in the TEN years since.
* The most
important road safety indicator of all, the fatal accident rate
(i.e. the number of road deaths per billion vehicle kilometres),
gradually slowed during the speed camera decade, and finally
in 2003 went into reverse. This follows a former trend spanning
at least 50 years during which the fatal accident rate fell
by between 5% and 7% per annum with clockwork reliability.
* In 2003
the fatal accident rate rose by 1.3%. This is thought to be
the first genuine rise in the history of UK motoring.
* Britain
is now the slowest improving country in Europe in terms of roads
fatalities according to the Department for Transport's preferred
indicator.
* If the
former trend (1978 to 1993) in the fatality rate had continued,
over 6,800 people who have died on British roads would still
be alive, and annual road deaths would be down to about 2,200
(not 3,500 and rising)
* The difference
between the expected and actual trends has been termed "the
fatality gap". The fatality gap now represents over a third
of annual road deaths.
* At the
same time that the trends have gone so badly wrong we have seen
an explosion of speed camera fines. In fact speed camera fines
are presently doubling every three years.
* After
over 5,000 man-hours of effort on the subject Safe Speed believes
that the loss of trend, and the 6,800 extra deaths have been
caused by bad road safety policy, and that the bad policy has
been founded on speed cameras.
* It is
absurd and fraudulent to claim that speed camera saves lives
when the trends have been so bad.
* We know
that vehicle safety, road engineering and post accident paramedic
care are improving and are making similar crashes significantly
more survivable each year. And we know that these effects are
much greater than the annual growth of traffic.
Official
Lies Safe Speed has uncovered and exposed a series of official
lies forming the very foundations of speed camera policy.
* It isn't
true that we have many crashes caused by otherwise responsible
motorists exceeding a speed limit.
* The claims
of speed camera effectiveness entirely depend on a well understood
statistical artefact known as "regression to the mean".
This has been pointed out to the main authors of the recent
DfT report, yet still they persist in the deception. * It isn't
true that a 1mph reduction in average traffic speed will lead
to a 5% reduction in accidents. This too has been pointed out,
yet the deception continues.
* It IS
true that pedestrians are much more likely to die as impact
speed increases from about 20mph to 40mph. But in the real world
the proportion of pedestrians dying in injury accidents with
motor vehicles points to an average impact speed of just 11mph.
(at 40mph 90% die, at 30mph 50% die, at 20mph 10% die, but in
the real world, in 30mph AND 40mph speed limits just 1.5% of
pedestrians injured die)
Paul Smith,
founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign said: "It
is absolutely outrageous that modern road safety policy is founded
on nothing more than oversimplified beliefs and bad science.
It is even more outrageous that the government and the camera
partnerships are trying to gloss over the abject failure and
convince the public that their policies are working.
False road
safety information is extremely dangerous and is very likely
to cause loss of life because the wrong policies are followed."
Paul continues, "The speed camera fiasco amounts to nothing
less than the great speed camera con trick.
Every motorist
should write to their MP right now demanding proper answers
to the following two questions:
1) What
proportion of road accidents in the UK are caused or contributed
to by otherwise legal motorists exceeding a speed limit?
2) How large
is the regression to the mean benefit illusion incorporated
in the recent official report of speed camera effectiveness?
In a recent
report for the BBC Radio "Today Programme", Professor
Emeritus Mervyn Stone said (regarding the partnership based
speed camera programme): "The emphasis on political acceptability
has led the program down a cul de sac in which essential public
trust has been lost. The mistakes already made should be openly
recognised, and the program should be subjected to a root and
branch rethink."
It should
came as no surprise that Safe Speed says: "Let's make speed
cameras as unacceptable as drink driving." See the Safe
Speed web site for further information: SafeSpeed.
28th June
2004
Speed
cameras increase fatalities in the UK.
Reserch
by MCN - Motrorcyle News - in the UK has revealed that research
by the Government is flawed. It only considers half of the country’s
speed cameras, flouts the Government’s own research guidelines
and conveniently ignores 700 camera sites where accident rates
have actually GONE UP.
They claim
the Government research focused on sites where there had been
exceptionally high accident rates. In these circumstances casualties
were likely to drop whether speed cameras were put up or not.
Even the Department for Transport’s own Road Safety Good
Practice Guide says that in sites like the ones used, “accidents
will tend to reduce in the next year even if no treatment is
applied.”
But the report made no allowance for this. Read story here.
3rd June
2004
RoadSense
member exposes doubtful accuracy of mobile radar on ACA (A Current
Affair).
A near 5
minute segment aired on Ray Martin's ACA on June 3 called Radar
crusader: one man’s driving force.
The article starts, "Ever been caught speeding but been
doubtful about the accuracy of the radar? Well, those suspicions
may not have been unfounded. Today ACA meets one man who has
found the key to unlocking the secrets behind radars and is
keen to share his knowledge about the many factors which can
affect their accuracy."
After hundreds
of hours on the Internet and writing letters to the Infringement
Processing Bureau, police minister and ombudsman, Bruce finally
found what he was searching for - a copy of the police radar
operation manual which outlines compelling evidence that trees,
wind, billboards and even birds can cause an inaccurate reading.
The document also states that even heavy rain could affect the
correct speed.
He continued, "they should start to change the legislation
so that radar is only used where there is 100 percent accuracy,
we don’t want circumstances where innocent drivers are
pulled over".
Read full
story on ACA website here.
11 March
04
Tasmania
heads for record road toll. - Articles sent in by Leith.
Article from News Ltd by DAMIAN McINTYRE
March 10, 2004
The article
stated that complacency and drivers' attitudes are being blamed
for a shocking road toll in Tasmania following an increase in
the number of fatalities this year. The state is heading for
a record toll if the current trend continues - it is double
the same time last year.
Opposition
police and public safety spokesman Brett Whiteley said, "What
is desperately needed is a major rethink of the Labor Government's
road safety strategy and a move away from the focus on speed
cameras which clearly are not a solution in themselves.
He said
a greater police presence was needed to deter dangerous and
inattentive driving and the condition of roads was a major concern.
But Infrastructure, Energy and Resources Minister Bryan Green
said, "It is an issue requiring a combination of education,
enforcement and road engineering solutions, underpinned by good
policy and legislative change.
Tasmania
Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Luppo Prins said drivers needed
to change their attitudes.
"We can do all the law enforcement in the world but unless
people change their attitude and act responsibly we are not
going to reduce the toll. "We've had blitzes on nightly."
Last year 41 people were killed on Tasmanian roads and in 2001
a staggering 61 deaths were recorded. Full
Story.
There
was also a story on ABC.
Road
deaths re-ignite speed camera debate.
The three deaths on Tasmanian roads yesterday have re-ignited
debate on speed cameras and the quality of the state's roads.
The chairman
of the Road Safety Task Force, Paul Hogan, says more than 60
motorists may die on the road this year if that trend is not
reversed.
"It's most alarming, the rate of fatalities this year compared
to last year," he said.
The Opposition's Brett Whitely is calling for road improvements
and more police patrols and education campaigns.
"We have felt for some time that the focus by the Government
has been too singularly focused particularly on speed cameras,"
he said.
Full
story
10 Feb 04
Judge
rules tickets have fatal flaw in Victoria
There was
an article in the Herald Sun on SAT 31 JAN 2004, Page 007 headed
"Speed fine debacle" by WAYNE HOWELL, Supreme Court
reporter.
The article
was sent in by Pete and has been re-written here as I do not
have a link to the story.
The story
stated that thousands of speeding drivers may escape punishment
after a Supreme Court judge stated the previous day that Victoria's
speeding fine tickets are fatally flawed.
Justice
Howard Nathan apparently ruled that traffic infringement notices
were invalid because they did not clearly give an address where
objections could be sent.
He made
the point that failing to provide the address where a notice
of objection could be sent was ``not inconsequential or a mere
slip, it is a fatal flaw, the effect of which
is to hinder justice'' .According to the Herald Sun article
he went on to say
an essential part of the system of fines was that people could
challenge the charge and the penalty.
He apparently
went on to say it is the absolute right of the citizen to test
and challenge the organs of governmental power, such as the
police service. He said it is one of the virtues of our system
of justice.''
Judge Nathan
made his ruling in upholding a magistrate's decision that threw
out a charge against Adrian Korybutiak driving at 150km/h in
a 90km/h zone while his licence was suspended. Korybutiak apparently
paid his fine but did not realise his licence had been automatically
suspended for six months after he failed to pay an earlier speeding
fine within 28 days.
Earlier
in July 03, a magistrate had thrown out the unlicensed driving
charge because the infringement notice did not include an address
for objections.
The Director
of Public Prosecutions appealed against that decision, saying
drivers could use common sense to work out where to send objections
but Justice Nathan said an ordinary citizen would have difficulty
finding out where to send them.
Police
entrapment in Qld?
From
Bikepoint Australia, 01/02/04
Queensland
police are being accused of entrapment tactics on the Mt Nebo
to Mt Glorious road on the outskirts of Brisbane. An email sent
to BikePoint claims, in part, "The Queensland Police Service
are now patrolling the Mt Nebo - Mt Glorious Road from the Gap
to the T-Intersection near Wivenhoe Dam with unmarked Commodore
SS utes.
One is red
and the other is black with very dark window tinting. The rear
windows have Yoshimura Racing and JetPilot stickers to help
disguise them. They are equipped with video recording equipment
and speed
detecting equipment.
"On
Friday we saw these two cars driving back and forth over the
mountain and an ST1100 with uniformed rider was not far behind.
"When
speaking with some riders at the coffee shop they confirmed
that a fortnight earlier they approached the red ute from behind
that happened to be driving exactly at the 70 km/h speed limit.
The Ute slowed down a bit, then sped up and then slowed again,
with what appeared was an attempt to entrap these riders into
committing a traffic offence. Unbeknown to these rider's, these
were actually un-marked Police cars and overtook over the double-white
lines and of course exceeded the 70km/h speed limit.
They received
traffic infringement tickets in the mail later that week with
photographic evidence for a multitude of traffic offences. Hence,
these guys were enjoying their last ride on Mt Glorious before
having to hand in their licenses this week."
If true,
it makes a mockery of the recent rider and government-backed
safety meetings recently held in the same district. California
police were proven to be using similar tactics some years ago
and ended up with a rap over the knuckles and many of the traffic
convictions being overturned. We can only hope Queensland can
develop an equally robust
sense of fair play.
30/12/03
NSW - Safety measures have little effect on road deaths.
Michael Brown - Sydney Morning Herald 20/12/03 - Print
edition.
The introduction
of speed cameras, dual carriageways and random breath testing
has done little to cut the number of road deaths on NSW roads.
In 1993,
581 people were killed in the state. Five years ago 556 were
killed, last year 561 died and on preliminary figures to midnight
Wednesday, 536 have died on the state's roads this year.
Operation
Safe Arrival, which aims to cut the road toll over the holiday
season has been launched. The toughest penalties, double demerit
points, will be in force from Christmas eve until January 4.
They will
apply for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, drink driving, riding
a motorbike without a helmet or having a person in the boot
of your car.
Figures
suggest the Pacific Highway is still one of the state's most
dangerous roads. There were 2713 crashes in the three years
from 2000 to 2002 with 124 deaths and 1000 injuries. And the
crashes continue. To end of October there were 14 crashes and
deaths at the worst section, at Ballina. That compares with
last years figures of 19 crashes and 24 fatalities.
There have
been eight deaths deaths on the New England Highway this year.
The most dangerous stretch is is just outside Newcastle, with
most casualties between Hexham and Maitland.
The crash
rate has fallen on the vastly improved Hume Highway this year.
But the casualty rate which includes 11 deaths this year, has
risen by 8 percent in the last 10 years.
On the Princes
Highway the crash rate has risen by 17 percent since 1997, with
22 deaths this year. On the Great Western Highway eight people
have died this year.
13/11/03
Law
Institute wades into Victoria speed camera scam.
Possible
legal action by motorists unfairly penalised. Updates will be
posted on this site.
Full story
- Turn off all speed cameras: lawyers By Fergus Shiel Law Reporter
- The
Age
November 12, 2003
The Law
Institute called for fixed traffic cameras to be shut down until
they were tested independently.
Victoria Police however initially ruled out such a move, with
Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) Bob Hastings saying it would
be like announcing a "free-for-all" for motorists
to do what they liked.
They then
announced a four week shut down.
Law Institute
president Bill O'Shea said Police Minister Andre Haermeyer must
act to reassure motorists that they would not be unjustly penalised
because of faulty speed cameras.
His
call for ministerial intervention came as a lawyer yesterday
warned that wrongly penalised motorists could unite to sue
for damages.
Eugene Arocca,
senior partner with law firm Maurice Blackburn Cashman, said
the Government potentially faced a legal minefield. "Unfairly
penalised motorists could seek repayment of fines, restoration
of points lost and compensation for loss of employment due to
loss of licence, business losses, public transport costs, taxi
fares or the cost of a driver," Mr Arocca said.
Mr O'Shea said unreliable technology could lead to a flood of
cases in the magistrates court, with motorists disputing the
accuracy of the fixed cameras.
Mr Arocca said if it were proven that the speed cameras were
irregularly or not properly checked, or were improperly monitored,
road users would have a case for breach of duty of care and
compensation for direct losses.
He said it seemed as if the Bracks Government was happy to provide
bonuses to the speed cameras' private operator for snaring motorists
but not to properly oversee the system.
Read full
story in The
Age.
11/11/03
Victoria
speed camera scam coming apart at the seams.
Could this be the start of the undoing of the whole scam? These
are recent reports.
Vic
police scrutinise speed cameras after false reading.
Victorian police are now testing all fixed speeding cameras
across the state and the new speed and red light cameras that
are being installed.
This follows another false reading on a fixed speed camera,
this time inside the Burnley Tunnel, where a truck was clocked
at 174 kilometres an hour, in an 80 kilometres speed zone.
Police admit it is an embarrassing situation, which is undermining
the public's confidence in speed camera readings. Full
story.
The
$16. 00 per CityLink speed camera infringement bounty has
been revealed to the world to see!
A PRIVATE company is being paid up to $16 a ticket for each
speeding motorist it catches on camera in the CityLink tunnels.
The Bracks Government has revealed it struck a special bonus
deal with Tenix Solutions in September 2000.
Millions of dollars of public money was being paid to Tenix
through speed traps in the tunnels, it confirmed.
News of the deal comes after strong denials last week that the
Bracks Government had made speed camera bonus deals. Tenix is
also being paid almost $60,000 a month just to provide and install
the digital camera technology in the tunnels. Full
story here.
Bracks
Government doubles its secret bonuses to Tenix Solutions.
ONCE again the Bracks Government is in trouble. Police Minister
Andre Haermeyer gave the wrong information to Parliament about
a government contract with private speed camera operator Tenix
Solutions.
The Government has recently doubled its secret bonuses to Tenix
but Mr Haermeyer told Parliament this was not so but he is one
of two signatories to the Tenix Solutions contract.
Last year Mr Haermeyer sparked the police files fiasco when
he attacked a political candidate using information from a police
file. Full story in Herald
Sun.
Cameras
are over the limit.
Last July the Herald Sun reported the case of a woman booked
on the Western Ring Road at 158km/h in a 30-year-old car she
claimed was incapable of that speed.
Subsequently her claim was supported by a test she commissioned
on her car. Recently – about four months after the woman
was booked – police checked the speed camera and found
that it recorded 97km/h as 130 km/h.
Only now have they disconnect the camera and say they are trying
to identify motorists who have been wrongly accused. But how
many other cameras are falsely accusing motorists?
The Herald Sun revealed yesterday that Tenix Solutions, the
company operating the mobile speed cameras, and its employees
get hefty bonuses to produce usable pictures of supposedly errant
motorists. Full
Story.
30/10/03
Police
escort turns into speed camera fines 29 October 2003
Complete article in Herald Sun by Milanda Rout available here.
A hidden speed camera booked 98 motorcyclists being escorted
by police to the Australian Motor Cycle Grand Prix at Phillip
Island.
The Victorian
State Government took over $12,000 from the motorcyclists who
passed a camera set up for just two hours in an annual pilgrimage
to the island organised by police, councils and the Motorcycle
Riders' Association.
Riders have accused police of revenue raising and vowed to fight
the fines in court. One rider said "It was like duck hunting
season and the police escorts led us into the net" He was
fined $125 for doing 104km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Motorcycle
Riders' Association Australia president Alex Money urged all
bikers to fight the speeding fines.
Police apparently said the camera was not set up for the event,
it was there because the area is a black spot.
It appears
the camera however was set up on a 4km straight stretch of road.
A Police
spokesman said he was disappointed at the bikers caught by the
camera. "We are shocked at the number of people who speed
even when escorted by police," he said.
15/10/03
American
tourist not shouting Australia's praises.
This email
tells it's own story. Everybody in the tourism industry does
everything possible to create a good impression and provide
good service. All this is undone by Government greed and their
grab for cash.
It's shameful.
-----------
I have just
returned from a two week vacation to Australia.
My wife
and I drove from Cairns to Sydney exploring the east coast of
the country. We are US citizens and I have never had a speeding
ticket nor an accident in 45 years of driving.
Since I
had never driven on the left side of the road before I was accepting
the challenge and really worked on paying attention to my driving
and the rules of the road. I did my best to stay within the
speed limits but it was unnerving to be pushed down the road
by other vehicles.
I was stopped
in Queensland by your police for exceeding the limit.
A radar
gun was used. The irony of the situation is that I was being
passed.
The officer
was going in the opposite direction. When I observed that he
was making a u turn and had turned on his lights I slowed down
and pulled over to allow him to go by. He stopped me and said
I was the last car in line and that I was overtaking which was
not true.
He was extremely
rude and I realized that there was no use arguing with him.
I have sent a letter explaining the situation and it is currently
under appeal.
Then this.
Yesterday
I received a letter from Brisbane with a picture of my rental
car and a citation for 74km/hr in a 60 km/hr zone. Another $150
fine.
Needless
to say, it is frustrating when you have to make the decision
to keep your eyes on the speedometer or the traffic that is
around you. If I end up paying the fines it has convinced me
that my tourist dollars will be better spent in other areas
of the world that are more friendly and courteous to the foreign
traveler.
The reputation
they are developing has turned me sour on returning for another
adventure. When friends have asked me about our trip my response
is "okay", enjoyed the B and B's, Cairns and Sydney
but probably won't go back because of the police state attitude
on the roads.
If you plan
to drive stay 10k under zone and hope you don't get run over.
Not fun to try to drive on the left, watch traffic with your
eyes glued to the speedometer.
Perhaps
rental cars should be equipped with a sound device that interacts
with zone signs to indicate when one is overspeed. Very difficult
to keep eyes on both all of the time. Don't have that problem
in US, just keep up with traffic and you are usually ok.
Speeds are
posted here but on the freeways it is typical for most everyone
to be going faster.
Kris Oregon
USA.
15 October
03
NSW
increased penalties.
Hey, its
for your own protection from the demon speed. Didn't the Mafia
collect money for protecting people.
I have been
getting emails at the surprise of draconian penalties in NSW.
Here they are in case you did not know.
---------
Increased
penalties for speeding offences1 December 2002
Increased demerit points Increased suspension periods Automatic
court appearances
Increased penalties for a range of speeding offences apply from
1 December 2002.
- Licence
demerit points for exceeding the posted speed limit by up
to 15km/h will increase from one
(1) point to two (2) points.
- The licence
suspension or disqualification period for any driver exceeding
the posted speed limit by
31km/h and up to 45km/h will increase from one (1) month to
three (3) months.
- The licence
suspension or disqualification period for any driver exceeding
the posted speed limit by
more than 45km/h will double from three (3) months to six
(6) months.
- A new
automatic one-month licence suspension or disqualification
period for any driver caught
travelling more than 130km/h, regardless of the posted speed
limit. This will apply in any case not
covered by existing suspensions or disqualifications.
- For a
trial period, drivers caught by a fixed speed camera exceeding
the posted speed limit by more
than 45 km/h will face an automatic court appearance. There
is no option to pay an infringement
notice (on the spot fine) in lieu of appearing in court.
- A conviction
will count as a strike against the driver toward the Habitual
Offenders Scheme. The
Habitual Offenders Scheme automatically disqualifies repeat
offenders for five (5) years.
- For a
trial period, drivers caught by Police in NSW Police Northern
Region (Hawkesbury River to
QLD border) exceeding the posted speed limit by more than
45km/h will face an automatic court
appearance. There is no option to pay an infringement notice
(on the spot fine) in lieu of appearing
in court.
A conviction
will count as a strike against the driver toward the Habitual
Offenders Scheme.
Automatic court appearance and increased penalties for speeding
drivers
NORTHERN NSW
For a trial period commencing 1 December 2002, drivers caught
by Police in NSW Police Northern Region
(Hawkesbury River to QLD border - see map below) exceeding the
posted speed limit by more than 45km/h will
face an automatic court appearance. There is no option to pay
an infringement notice (on the spot fine) in lieu of
appearing in court. A conviction counts as a strike against
the driver toward the Habitual Offenders Scheme. The
Habitual Offenders Scheme automatically disqualifies repeat
offenders for five (5) years.
NSW Police
Northern Region
Other new speeding penalties to apply Statewide from 1 December
2002 are:
- Licence
demerit points for exceeding the posted speed limit by up
to 15km/h will increase from one (1) point to two (2) points.
- The
licence suspension or disqualification period for any driver
exceeding the posted speed limit by 31km/h and up to 45km/h
will increase from one (1) month to three (3) months.
- The
licence suspension or disqualification period for any driver
exceeding the posted speed limit by more 45km/h will double
from three (3) months to six (6) months.
- A new
automatic one-month licence suspension or disqualification
period for any driver caught travelling more than 130km/h,
regardless of the posted speed limit.
This will apply in any case not covered by existing suspensions
or disqualifications.
- For
a trial period, drivers who are caught by a fixed speed camera
exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 45
km/h will face an automatic court appearance. There is no
option to pay an infringement notice (on the spot fine) in
lieu of appearing in court.
Roads &
Traffic Authority, NSW
Telephone13 22 13
Website rta.nsw.gov.au
12 September
03
The Courier
Mail Brisbane ran a front page headline story by Sean Parnell
in the Saturday 6th September 03 edition. The article was headed
"Traffic crashes' $100m impact".
The article
is about accidents at intersections that cost tax payers over
$100m a year and left 26 people dead.
Now it is
great to see that they have recognised that something else other
than driving over the speed limit is actually causing accidents.
They identified the worst intersection as the Brisbane Airport
Roundabout on the Gateway Motorway at Airport Drive. The third
worst was also on the Gateway Motorway at Fison Ave. Well that
has got to be a black spot - probably the worst in Queensland.
Now, I travel
through that intersection on a regular basis but I have never
seen a speed camera anywhere near it. I wonder if there is even
a registered speed camera zone approved in the area. I know
they set up traps as you approach the toll gates at the Gateway
Bridge and make a financial killing every now and then.
If anybody
can enlighten me on accident prevention measures such as "speed
camera sites" and frequency of speed traps at the airport
intersection, our most dangerous intersection, I will publish
it here.
If they
are fair dinkum about safety then the Government will be able
to show records that they have had a high speed camera presence
in the area of these dangerous intersections over the last few
years.
Highway
billboards.
I regularly
travel on the Pacific Motorway between Brisbane and the Gold
Coast. The roads department has created a tremendous information
resource with their electronic billboards. I am pleased to say
that I have been seeing messages that ask us to "Keep left
unless overtaking".
Congratulations
and well done to whoever puts these positive educational messages
up. Well done Guys/Girls.
17 August
03
Professor
Max Cameron, a researcher with Monash University's Accident
Research Centre, argues that a covert camera system works best,
adding that "some Australian states seem almost apologetic
to motorists". Cameron concedes he has been caught by speed
cameras three times. Read full story plus much more by Paul
Syvret here.
5 August
03
NSW
STAYSAFE Committee has invited submissions to its Inquiry Into
Speed and Motor Vehicles.
The following
has very worrying consequences. Report was sent in by David.
The Sydney
Morning Herald reported that the NSW Parliamentary STAYSAFE
Committee has invited submissions to its Inquiry Into Speed
and Motor Vehicles.
The inquiry
will review;
* Established, emerging and future vehicle based technologies
that influence driver speed
* The short and long term possibilities fro improved vehicle-based
speed management and control
* Road infrastructure, digital mapping, management monitoring
systems and vehicle requirements associated with technologies
fro improved speed management and control
* The potential of the Australian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP) and other road safety-based rating and assessment systems
to influence the development and marketing of vehicle based
technologies which can influence driving speed
* Incentives that may influence the decisions of purchasers
of motor vehicles to buy motor vehicles which use technologies
for improved speed management and control
* The social and economic benefits and costs to the community
likely to be connected with the adoption of vehicle technologies
for speed management and control
* The capacity for NSW (within the Australian federal system)
to influence change in national motor vehicle standards
* Results of Australian and international trials of speed control
systems
* And any other related matters
Submissions are to be forwarded to the committee on staysafe@parliament.nsw.gov.au
by Friday 29 August.
_____________
The RTA
want feedback on levels of parking and infringement fines +
demerits etc. etc.
Check
it out here.
Manager,
Licensing Policy & Projects
PO Box K198
Haymarket NSW 1238
The closing date for comments is 5 September 2003..
July 12
2003 - information sent in by Lou.
90,000
on brink of losing licence
By Darren Gray
State Editor
Almost 90,000 Victorian motorists are on the brink of losing
their licence because of repeated driving offences.
New VicRoads
statistics, prepared for The Age, show that 76,063 motorists
have accumulated nine or more demerit points in the past three
years. Their licences could be suspended for at least three
months if police nab them for not wearing a seatbelt, using
a mobile phone while driving or failing to give way - all three-point
offences.
A further
10,000 drivers are on an even sharper knife edge. They have
already accrued 12 points and must drive for 12 months without
further offence, or they face an automatic suspension of at
least six months.
Overall,
1.54 million of the state's 3.32 million licensed vehicle users,
including motorcyclists, had incurred demerit points at July
3. On top of the points, the 1.54 million motorists have paid
hundreds of millions of dollars to the State Government in fines.
The demerit points system gives motorists a choice once they
incur 12 points in three years. They can accept a three-month
suspension and the points are wiped. Or they can keep their
licence intact - but if they commit a demerit point offence
in the next year they automatically lose their licence for six
months.
The demerit
regime was toughened significantly seven months ago. From mid-December
motorists caught using a hand-held mobile phone while driving
are penalised three demerit points and pay a $135 fine. Demerit
point penalties on speeding motorists also rose, and points
were introduced for motorists caught driving with obscured number
plates.
The changes
hit motorists immediately. By late June, 8757 motorists had
accrued three demerit points for using a mobile phone while
at the wheel.
About half
of all motorists who accrue 12 points opt for the three-month
licence suspension. The rest choose to try to maintain an unblemished
record over the next 12 months.
VicRoads
general manager of road safety, Eric Howard, urged motorists
on nine points or more to abide by road rules. "You really
are at risk of losing your licence; you are in danger territory
once you get there," he said.
Recent demerit
point statistics show the system has modified driver behaviour,
he said. Over the past year 28,464 people hit 12 demerit points.
Of the half who decided to keep their licence intact and abide
by the law for the next year, 70 per cent went through the period
without a demerit point infringement, he said.
"It's
just that ability to discourage ongoing repeat offenders, that's
the strength of it (the system). And we think it's really important
to have it available," Mr Howard said.
Demerit
points could affect a driver's mobility in a way a fine system
for offences alone could not, he said.
Transport Minister Peter Batchelor said that while the 76,000
motorists on nine or more points sounded like a big number,
it was only a fraction of the total of licensed drivers.
Mr Batchelor
denied that traffic infringement fines were about revenue raising.
"You pay the fine and you bear the pain at the time: the
demerit points are intended to be a lingering reminder to do
the right thing. The fines are directed towards a more immediate
response, where the demerit points form part of a process of
long-term change," he said.
VicRoads
surveys of traffic flows had showed average traffic flow speeds
had dropped in recent times, he said.
The RACV's general manager of public policy, Ken Ogden, said:
"We support it (the demerit system) because we think that
it's an effective deterrent. These figures can only serve to
remind people that if they have demerit points they should drive
more carefully."
But Dr Ogden
called on the Bracks Government to abolish fines for minor speeding
offences. "For low-level speeding offences it should be
fully demerit points and not fines," he said.
"The
community increasingly sees enforcement as being about revenue
and not about road safety."