An investigation by the RAC has found that on average deaths and serious injuries were down by a quarter in sites where speed cameras were located.
An investigation by the RAC has found that on average deaths and serious injuries were down by a quarter in sites where speed cameras were located.
Analysis of data from 551 fixed speed cameras in nine areas found that on average the number of fatal and serious collisions in the vicinity fell by 27 per cent after the installation of cameras.
There was also an average reduction of 15 per cent in personal injury collisions in the vicinity of the 551 cameras.
The research also found, however, that in 21 camera sites the number of collisions appears to have risen – risen enough, according to the RAC, to warrant an investigation in case the installation of cameras has contributed to the increases.
In sum, then, in an analysis of 551 camera sites, the average number of serious collisions decreased by a quarter. In just 21 sites (four per cent of the total), collisions went up, whether because of the installation of speed cameras or not – we don’t yet know
How would any responsible, let alone honest, person interpret such data, then? Would they, as the director of the RAC has done, conclude that “without speed cameras there would be around 800 more people killed or seriously injured each year“?
Or would they instead single out the four per cent of camera sites where accidents did go up and make that the story – ignoring the 800 lives saved across the other 96 per cent of camera sites?
Here’s how today’s Daily Mail interpreted the RAC data.
What an absolute disgrace.
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
15 Responses to “Speed cameras save 800 lives a year. The Daily Mail still doesn’t care”
Saxobob
The authors of the study were well aware of regression to the mean. When you get round to reading the report you will see this has been taken into account and corrected for. There is still a benefit after correcting for regression to the mean.
From the report, page 3 “This allows the effect of regression to the mean
to be excluded from the estimation of change following the establishment of
the camera”
Perhaps you missed that part when you *read the report yourself* 😉
If you wish to see how you can correct this for yourself, read this excellent post: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/regrmean.php
LB
No, I want people to be enriched and to be in control over their lives.
When the state taxes 50%, and makes the decisions for people without their involvement, its gone wrong.
When the 26K a year worker (median wage), has lost 475,000 pounds from their pension and will lose even more as pensions are cut, then I want them to have that money. Here I’m quite non libertarian. They should be forced to save.
So look at exactly what I’ve posted on.
1. Deaths in the NHS.
I’m for compensation for the victims. All I get back from the left is that will take money away from treatments. In fact they mean money away from NHS workers. The left’s approach is the victims have to pay.
2. Pensions. The losses are huge, and the debts off the books.
Why shouldn’t people have the choice of investing their NI and being better off by a long way? Why should they be forced to give their money to a state that is so bankrupt it won’t even report what it owes them?
Both of those are about making the citizen better off.
What you are pushing is that the workers of the state come before other people, at their expense.
LB
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10105416/Mother-told-there-are-no-doctors-as-she-tries-to-save-dying-baby.html
Here’s a good example of the NHS killing a patient
Leon
That’s not a like for like comparison. What about the 75m people who aren’t in the ‘health set up’, they’re all tickety-boo right? No avoidable deaths there then.
The US Healthcare system is mess, I should know. I live in Fort Worth.
Cole
Still repeating this stuff from a 2001 Daily Mail article?