New cameras a positive step in bid to make roads safer

It’s claimed numerous lives down the years and ruined many others. All so needlessly. Yet it’s something we witness on roads up and down the country day in, day out.

We’re talking speeding and the impact it continues to have on our society.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), 202 people were killed in collisions involving someone exceeding the speed limit in Great Britain in 2020.

A further 1,368 people were seriously injured and 2,803 slightly injured.

In addition, 115 people died when someone was travelling too fast for the conditions.

They are alarming numbers – and the fact those incidents could have been avoided had drivers just been travelling at an appropriate speed must be so galling for the victims and their families.

So what can be done to tackle a problem which shows no sign of going away?

Fixed speed cameras have been in place in many accident black spots for a number of years now and many have doubtless proved effective at reducing collisions in their very specific locations.

Though that’s certainly a positive, such cameras only cover a very small area, meaning it’s easy for drivers to briefly hit the brake and slow down while passing the camera before swiftly speeding up again afterwards.

Average speed cameras, however, cover a much larger area and slow traffic down for far longer, making them much more effective.

So today’s news that police and crime commissioner Donna Jones has revealed eight new average speed cameras along two of the most problem roads for excessive noise and speeding in Hampshire is to be welcomed.

Let’s hope that the cameras – on the A32 and A272 in the Meon Valley – make the roads safer for everyone and help prevent any more lives being needlessly lost.