I do not believe that speed cameras, especially the ones installed on Regional Road, will improve safety. A study has shown that speed cameras distract drivers, cause panic braking, are a way to make a lot of money and further damage the relationship between the police/local councils and the public. With the imposition of speed cameras, we now have an increasing number of traffic-jamming schemes masquerading as "junction improvements", traffic lights, speed humps and bus lanes.

I am not saying that I want to speed and you lot are trying to stop me! My concern, as is that of many other motorists, is with the Big Brother aspect of speed cameras, where the authorities are quite happy to persecute motorists for the minor crime of speeding. I am simply highlighting an issue concerning ordinary people here.

Speed cameras may send the wrong message, so that speed becomes the focus to the exclusion of everything else, as in: "I can go for a drink, get blind drunk, then drive home in an uninsured and dangerous vehicle and, as long as I don't break the speed limit, I can get away with it!".

Another message that speed cameras may send concerns the lack of traffic police on our roads to effectively deal with dangerous drivers, such that "I can drive like an idiot as long as I don't exceed the speed limit"

Any speed limit is arbitrary - it is a figure picked out of thin air. A speed limit does not mean a safe speed! Would you travel at 70mph on the Birkirkara by-pass in thick fog or heavy rainfall? There's more to road safety than speed.

Safe driving is too complex to be measured in miles per hour. Far too much emphasis is now placed on speeding and not enough is being done to combat other motoring offences such as driving without insurance and dangerous driving.

Recent studies show that driver inattention topped the list of accident causes, followed by poor lane changing and careless/reckless behaviour. In fact, not one single accident had excess speed as the sole cause. "Excess speed" includes accidents where vehicles were travelling within the speed limit but too fast for the conditions!

In the UK, the major causes of M4 crashes in 1999-2004 were:

¤ Inattention, a factor in 28 per cent of crashes;

¤ Failure to judge others' path or speed (i.e. poor lane changing), factor in 28 per cent of crashes;

¤ Lack of judgement of own path, a factor in 17 per cent;

¤ Fatigue, a factor in 14 per cent;

¤ Careless, thoughtless or reckless behaviour, a factor in 14 per cent;

¤ Excess speed, a factor in 14 per cent.

It has been recently reported that "it was likely that the current speed limit in force over the bridge (Regional Road) will be increased" and that "it was impossible to say whether speed cameras would be removed", indicating over-eagerness to introduce speed cameras without effecting proper and adequate road traffic and geographical studies. This shows that speed cameras have only been implemented as another source of revenue and nothing more. On the lighter side, the local councils should have re-printed their warning signs to indicate "Cash Machine Ahead", or "CTCP - Cash/Tax Collection Point" or "Local Council Fund Raiser" or better still "Beware: Robbery in Progress"!

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