Accident black spots speed camera-free Ashley Gardiner From:?Herald Sun December 27, 2010 12:00AM Victoria's worst accident hot spots don't have speed cameras. Picture: Darren Mcnamara Source: Herald Sun ONLY four of Victoria's 20 most dangerous accident black spots are monitored by speed cameras. Yet almost all of the most lucrative speed camera locations have been free of fatalities in the past five years. Dangerous outer-suburban intersections are being ignored in favour of busy inner-city locations. The revelations have been seized on as proof that cameras are for revenue raising. But the State Government confirmed last night camera location guidelines would be examined as part of a sweeping review to restore public faith in the system. According to the VicRoads crash database, the most accident-prone location is the corner of Centre and Dandenong roads, Springvale. A complex six-way intersection, it has been the scene of 36 accidents causing serious injury over the past five years, but does not have a camera. The biggest four revenue generators, all along EastLink, have not seen one serious accident in that time. The second-most dangerous black spot is St Kilda Junction- at the intersection of St Kilda Rd, Fitzroy St and Punt Rd - which has a camera. Over the past five years, 27 people have suffered serious injuries there. After that, the next three most dangerous locations do not have cameras. A former VicRoads safety official said the result was no surprise. "Speed cameras are placed in locations with very high levels of traffic flow and where there is an increased chance of fining people," engineer John Lambert said. Mr Lambert said there was no evidence that accident locations had been analysed before placing cameras. "The rationale for them choosing those sites would be very interesting to know," he said. The Department of Justice says on its website that cameras "are located on our most dangerous roads and intersections to prevent speed and red-light offences". gardinera@heraldsun.com.au
Ashley Gardiner From:?Herald Sun December 27, 2010 12:00AM
Victoria's worst accident hot spots don't have speed cameras. Picture: Darren Mcnamara Source: Herald Sun
ONLY four of Victoria's 20 most dangerous accident black spots are monitored by speed cameras.
Yet almost all of the most lucrative speed camera locations have been free of fatalities in the past five years.
Dangerous outer-suburban intersections are being ignored in favour of busy inner-city locations.
The revelations have been seized on as proof that cameras are for revenue raising.
But the State Government confirmed last night camera location guidelines would be examined as part of a sweeping review to restore public faith in the system.
According to the VicRoads crash database, the most accident-prone location is the corner of Centre and Dandenong roads, Springvale.
A complex six-way intersection, it has been the scene of 36 accidents causing serious injury over the past five years, but does not have a camera.
The biggest four revenue generators, all along EastLink, have not seen one serious accident in that time.
The second-most dangerous black spot is St Kilda Junction- at the intersection of St Kilda Rd, Fitzroy St and Punt Rd - which has a camera.
Over the past five years, 27 people have suffered serious injuries there.
After that, the next three most dangerous locations do not have cameras. A former VicRoads safety official said the result was no surprise.
"Speed cameras are placed in locations with very high levels of traffic flow and where there is an increased chance of fining people," engineer John Lambert said.
Mr Lambert said there was no evidence that accident locations had been analysed before placing cameras. "The rationale for them choosing those sites would be very interesting to know," he said.
The Department of Justice says on its website that cameras "are located on our most dangerous roads and intersections to prevent speed and red-light offences".
gardinera@heraldsun.com.au
Revenue, thats hard to believe i would of never of suspected that
Seriously though - isn't there any way this could be used to challenge the fines or the entire system? Isn't there some law against obtaining financial advantage by deception? I mean, this is basically fraud - we're constantly being told that the cameras are all about safety but they're demonstrably not - surely this is fraud?
WELL SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE...!!!!!!!
Gets even better with double demerits
Is there anyone out there who believes speed cameras exist soley for the prevention of speeding? Very few people I reckon. Of course it's a money raiser - and lots of it. I'm pretty sure monies raised are factored into State Budgets (un-officially); if that revenue was lost where would our Pollies retrieve it? Yeah, you & me being slugged with higher taxes & charges.
The fixed cameras in Brisbane are well known and several are sign posted as such. On my way to work I go past one camera a few kliks from the City (at Greenslopes) and we all know it's there. On rare traffic flowing days (it's normally a crawl during peak hour) we're all scooting along at 110 / 115kph but at this camera site everyone slows to 100kph on the dot - and then resumes speed after 100 metres or so.
What do we learn from this? Speed cameras do slow traffic - of course they do. If we KNOW a camera is present we WILL slow down. But removing these cameras and installing them at recognised 'accident black spots' will do what?
Black spots are black spots for many reasons - and seldom is good old speed the main culprit. It's more likely Driver fatigue and blind corners and impatient pricks at intersections and crappy road surfaces etc, etc so what will placement of cameras in these areas do? Seriously, we drive as we drive and placing a camera at a shitty black spot blind corner will stop me doing what? Nothing!
A camera in a 'black spot' will forever enshrine the horror smashes, but for all practical purposes they won't alter my driving one little bit. Ya follow?
i travel in the hunter valley where not many do the speed limit ,do the speed limit and they overtake you over double centre lines with speeding fines at record highs somethings not working it comes back to driver education , put the money back into better driver training/education .just my opinion 30+ years driving trucks i have seen some very dangerous people driving and often wonder how they got a licence let a lone keep there licence
