AA Zone

Speeding - the truth

Original Post

While looking for advice about water contamination in engine oil I stumbled upon a fantastic website. The website has many articles relating to the mechanics and maintinance of car, and also has some interesting reading with regard to speeding.
I'd like to say here and now that I religiously stick to the speed limit (as that is the law) and neither condone speeding nor support the goverment's idea of sting the motorist to fund their new kitchens!

http://www.carbibles.com/speeding_facts.html

This guy really has done his homework and I think has raised some important questions/ideas. He has cited research for the highways agency that shows speed cameras increased accidents at roadwork sites in some areas. But we see more and more speed cameras appearing all the time.

Is handing out a fine and points to a motorist two weeks after they were caught going 35 in a 30 going to stop that child being hit by a car because that child ran out into the road? Is the presence of a speed camera going to stop that child running out into the road?
Cast your mind back a few months to a year and see how many road safety adverts you can remember seeing on TV or on billboards etc. There are three types aimed at drivers that I can remember - Drink Driving, Speeding and Think Bike!
I'm sure lives may well have been saved by drivers seeing these adverts. That being the case why are there not more road safety adverts on TV? Pedestrians need to be reminded not to walk out in the middle of the road - I also remember an advert featuring teens playing in a street with an accident recorded on a mobile phone but I know for sure this is/was not enough. Every day I see pedestrians walking across the road without looking at all. Not just children but the older generation aswell. I think more money must be spent on educating pedestrians. Whether this be by visits to Schools by the police, TV adds, Billboards, or adverts on milk cartons.
Cyclists also need educating, much as I hate being stuck behind a cyclist on the road I would much rather be in that situation than see a cyclist who has been riding on the pavement and has knocked over some old lady!
Cyclists run red lights, dangerously weave between traffic are often not wearing safety gear or using any lights at night. I've also had cyclists drop down from the pavement into the road right in front of me, with them not looking before hand.

I think the government need to face up to the real issues and need to stop blaming the motorist for everything. Maybe the AA being a powerful motoring organisation will be able to really make a difference.