Majority of Warwickshire residents support Safety Cameras
The results of a public opinion survey conducted by Warwickshire Casualty Reduction Partnership shows safety cameras are not the universally unpopular devices that many would have us believe.
Two thirds of respondents said they supported the use of speed cameras, while just 1 in 5 people said the were opposed to their use. Drivers who had been detected speeding in the past, males, high mileage drivers and motorists under the age of 30 were the most likely to oppose safety cameras.
The survey also showed that the introduction of speed cameras is having a positive impact on driver behaviour. 37% of respondents said the increase in safety cameras over recent years has made them less likely to speed, while just 17% of drivers stated they just slow down for speed cameras. These figures support the findings of a recent Department for Transport report which showed that the proportion of drivers breaking 30mph speed limits has fallen from 72% in 1996 to 50% in 2005.
Elsewhere in the survey 67% of respondents said they think the main aim of safety cameras is to save lives, more than half of respondents said the introduction of cameras mean dangerous drivers are now more likely to get caught, and only 24% of people said they think there are too many safety cameras in their local area.
Partnership Chair and Warwickshire County Council Road Safety Unit Manager, Estyn Williams said: “We hear a lot of negative criticism about cameras from a vocal minority of motorists. It is very pleasing to have concrete evidence to support our view that safety cameras are an effective road safety tool that are supported by the majority of Warwickshire residents. Cameras are reducing the number and severity of crashes on the roads. My only disappointment is that there are drivers out there today who continue to drive too fast, putting themselves and other road users at unnecessary risk.”