Skip to main content

Average speed cameras ‘cut worst crashes by more than a third’

The use of average speed cameras has been found, on average, to cut the number of crashes resulting in death or serious injury by more than a third, according to research for the RAC Foundation by Road Safety Analysis. Researchers found that on average, having allowed for natural variation and overall trends, the number of fatal and serious collisions decreases by 36 per cent after average speed cameras are introduced. By the end of 2015 there were at least 50 stretches of road in Great Britain permanen
September 30, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The use of average speed cameras has been found, on average, to cut the number of crashes resulting in death or serious injury by more than a third, according to research for the 4961 RAC Foundation by 5227 Road Safety Analysis. Researchers found that on average, having allowed for natural variation and overall trends, the number of fatal and serious collisions decreases by 36 per cent after average speed cameras are introduced.

By the end of 2015 there were at least 50 stretches of road in Great Britain permanently covered by average speed cameras monitoring a total length of 255 miles (410 km).

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “The indications are that compliance with average speed cameras is generally high; now this research reveals the sizeable impact they can have in reducing death and serious injuries.

“As the cost of technology continues to fall, more and more authorities are considering whether to install average speed cameras and so it will be important to ensure that casualty and compliance data is openly available so we can continue to assess and understand the road safety benefits they deliver.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Measuring vehicle lengths with a single loop - promising results
    July 27, 2012
    District 7 of Caltrans has been conducting trials to see whether the use of a single inductive loop to measure vehicle lengths and so identify heavy trucks is feasible. So far, the results have been very promising, according to Lead Transportation Engineer Steve Malkson. Between them, the adjoining ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the US's two biggest, cover some 10,700 acres (43km2) and 68 miles (109km) of waterfront.
  • Automating enforcement of environmental zones
    July 27, 2012
    Amsterdam City Council has chosen to move away from manual enforcement of its environmental zone, which is intended to keep highly polluting goods vehicles out of the city centre, and is installing an automated, ANPR-based system. The signs are not much to look at: white with a red circle and the all-important word Milieuzone ('Environmental zone'). But these signs mean that Amsterdam's city centre is strictly off-limits to polluting goods traffic. At the moment compliance is monitored by special wardens wh
  • Study shows lifetime cost of EVs is comparable to conventional vehicles
    June 17, 2013
    Consumers who purchase an electric vehicle will find that costs to own the vehicle are competitive with conventional and hybrid vehicles, according to an analysis conducted by the US Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The study compares the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf with petrol-fueled cars that reflect average costs for different makes and models. Nissan lowered the price of the Leaf by about US$6,000 in January. It looks at several factors, including petrol and power prices, incentives, financi
  • Latvia says effectiveness of speed cameras impossible to deny
    April 14, 2016
    According to the Road Traffic Safety Directorate in Latvia, 16 speed cameras that are currently installed on various roads in the country have contributed greatly to improving traffic safety and another 24 cameras will be installed this year. In some locations where many serious traffic accidents were previously recorded, there have been no more accidents with fatalities since the installation of speed cameras, which the Road Traffic Safety Directorate says proves once again that speed cameras are very e