6/24/2005
London Camera Sites Experience More AccidentsSeventy red light and speed cameras in London and even more in the West Midlands, UK are showing significant jumps in serious and fatal accidents.
Association of London Government documents show that 70 speed camera and red light camera sites are experiencing an increase, not decrease, in deaths and serious injury accidents. Thirty-two speed camera sites saw an average of 48 additional accidents, while 38 red light camera sites saw 62 more accidents than in previous years.
Similar problems have cropped up in the West Midlands area. Bristol Road South in Birmingham was an accident-free stretch of road until a speed camera was installed. Since then, seven have died or been seriously injured in accidents near the camera. The West Midlands camera operators have been forced to remove ten cameras and are studying the effectiveness of 300 additional sites.
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign believes cameras are causing these accidents. "The major problem with speed cameras is that they seeks to affect a relatively unimportant road safety parameter, but they come with side effects that damage road safety core values," Smith said.
Article Excerpt:
Edmund King of the RAC Foundation said: "It is highly worrying that accidents are going up. There could be conflict between motorists who slow down for cameras and the growing underclass of unregistered drivers who do not."Source: Speed cameras 'may cause accidents' (Evening Standard (UK), 6/24/2005)
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