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National Motorists Association AustraliaMEDIA RELEASE
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NATIONAL INQUIRY into SPEED CAMERAS The National Motorists
Association of Australia (NMAA) is calling for a National
Inquiry into speed cameras. The estimated $40 million cost of refunding
fines and compensation for licence cancellation of innocent drivers
by the Victorian government has highlighted camera deficiencies.
NMAA spokesperson
Michael Lane said "The presumption in law is that speed cameras
are always accurate, so the onus has been on drivers to prove
their innocence. In fact, cameras have proven to be inaccurate on
many occasions. The recent fiasco in Victoria proves
the point. Multiple cameras were proven to be faulty last year, but
the State Government of Victoria kept them operating. Fines were
issued and demerit points applied due to inaccurate cameras -
many drivers undeservedly had their licences cancelled and many of
those drivers lost their jobs and businesses as a result. Now
that State admits that it is liable for compensation of at least
$6 million to innocent drivers."
Mr Lane said "All
of the State Governments have been telling us that
cameras never lie. Consequently everyone clocked is automatically
guilty via State framed law. Now we have proof that numerous
cameras have lied and this in turn must create reasonable doubt
about any camera. State Governments continue to claim that
cameras don't lie, but they said that before many cameras were
proven to be grossly inaccurate. We have no reason to believe
them without a full and thorough investigation. It is time that
the pretence was terminated. The opinion of the NMAA is
that this has been a State Government dash for cash with little
attention paid to accuracy, fairness or justification."
"All States
should cease use of speed cameras until an independent body looks
into their use and effectiveness;
to do otherwise is blatant disregard for the rights of people to have
a fair application of the law", Lane said. "Any system which
can raise a single state's revenue by half a billion
dollars each year, with proven gross failures, should be investigated
independently.
Mr
Lane emphasised that "Cameras can no longer be relied
upon to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The concept of scientific infallibility of cameras has been proven
to be false."
Lane stated that "The
worst aspect of the speed camera issue is that road fatality
ratios have stagnated since 1997. Road safety advocates point
to the emphasis on speed as the cause. Since the early 1990's, State
Governments realised that they could milk motorists with speeding
fines and claim that they were improving road safety. There has
been an increasing emphasis on speed, and many would say revenue collection
on the part of State Governments, but this has not reduced road fatalities."
"The stagnation
of road fatalities since 1997 is a national disgrace" said Lane.
"That is our main concern. State governments can tax motorists
by many means. The evil of this tax is that it has taken the emphasis
away from actual road safety. The only significant improvement
in road safety in the last decade has been provided by vehicle
manufacturers - ABS brakes, crumple zones, airbags and air curtains
to name just a few. State governments claim credit for their speed
detectors at any slight improvement in road statistics instead
of giving credit where it is due."
The NMAA view is that there is no one single measure of safe driving - road safety cannot be measured in kilometres per hour. Other causes such as inattention, fatigue, alcohol/drugs, tailgating, inadequate driver training and the lack of road funding are far more important. Mr Lane stated "State governments have proven that they cannot be trusted to use speed camera technology for road safety. At the last two surveys, not one camera was within half a kilometre of an actual accident blackspot. Clearly, the cameras have been sited to maximise revenue." "Speed camera technology does not stop drivers affected by drugs and/or alcohol. Nor does speed camera technology stop unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles, apprehend stolen vehicles, catch thieves in their getaway cars, nor stop emotionally distraught drivers. That function is best served by uniformed police pulling errant drivers off the road immediately. Sending an infrigement notice by mail up to several weeks after an alleged offence is too late to effectively prevent fatalities and is one of the least effective methods of changing errant driver behaviour " Mr Lane said. Speed cameras are another example of the "Big Brother" mentality of State Government - the insidious use of technology to monitor the community, according to Mr Lane. "Issues such as speed cameras serve the function of distracting public attention from ineffective road safety strategy, inadequate driver training and the lack of main road funding" says Lane. Asked if the NMAA believes that a lasting reduction in road fatalities can be achieved, Mr Lane said "The first step is to wean State Governments off their speed revenue base and replace current revenue policy with genuine road safety policy. We believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel; let it not be a camera flash!"
For Comment, please contact: Michael
Lane: |
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our website at http://www.aussiemotorists.com/ PO Box 213, Clayfield Q 4011. Voicemail: +61-419-303832 Email: enquiries@aussiemotorists.com
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