Image: Durham Police via Twitter
Police officers across the UK are participating in a European-wide speed enforcement campaign which gets underway today (6 August).
Co-ordinated by TISPOL (the European Police Traffic Network), the week-long operation sets out to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and remind drivers of the benefits – to all road users – of driving at speeds that are both legal and appropriate.
As part of the operation, officers will use ‘a number of speed detection methods across all types of road’.
In Durham and Cleveland, police officers will use the week of action to highlight the risks of speeding – and encourage drivers to ‘obey speed limits and drive at speeds safe for the road environment’.
Chief inspector Graham Milne, Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Lives are put on the line every single day by speeding drivers and we see the aftermath of this as roads policing officers.
“The devastation left behind when someone is killed or seriously injured by a speeding driver is heartbreaking and it makes it all the more tragic when it could have been so easily avoided.
“Campaigns like these do make a difference.”
Paolo Cestra, TISPOL president, said: “We urge all drivers to challenge their own attitude to speeding.
“Anyone who still believes that speeding is a trivial offence needs to think again. That’s because excessive or inappropriate speed has a singularly devastating impact on the safety of road users, increasing both the risk of a crash and the severity of the consequences.
“It is estimated that speeding contributes to as many as one third of all crashes resulting in death, and is the most important contributory factor to road deaths and serious injuries.
“All across Europe this coming week, police officers will be ensuring that drivers respect the different speed limits. In cases where drivers choose to ignore these limits, officers will take appropriate steps to enforce the law.”
Me thinks that you already know the answer to that one Duncan.. With all your years of experience within the field of road safety and that of your friend. Mr. Williams.
A lot depends on which way one is looking at it. A driver may believe, rightly or wrongly that his actions are reasonable at the time but then he is looking at it subjectively. The person he has just injured could argue that what the driver did was totally unreasonable and he may may also look at it subjectively having been injured by the drivers actions.
The police officer and judge has to look at it objectively and not subjectively and come to a decision as to who or what was right and who or what was wrong.
In the end its all judged as to what is considered reasonable or the ‘norm’ in the way that any ‘normal’ person would be acting and that is so no matter what the circumstances are.
R.Craven, Blackpool
0
You should be self-monitoring Duncan and continuously asking yourself “Could I stop in control and without too much drama, if I had to?”. If it’s always ‘yes’, then that could be ‘appropriate’ speed.
You could also take into account the effect your speed may be having on those around you e.g. residents, pedestrians, cyclists etc. and which could be called a respectful and considerate speed.
Hugh Jones
+1
How do I know for certain that I am travelling at an ‘appropriate’ speed or at ‘a speed that’s safe for the road environment’?
The very nice people at TIPSOL tell me I should travel at these speeds, but give me absolutely no clue as to how I’ll know for certain when I am. Perhaps the group could come up with an answer?
Duncan MacKillop, Lower Quinton
+3
As David said its not just speeds in excess of the speed limit its also speeds that are unnecessary or inappropriate for that road at that time. As actual speeding is considered to be only about 5/6 % of the cause of incidents then one must assume that the majority of incidents are created in this other way,
Unfortunately stopping and reporting speeders only and not dealing with the others does nothing the reduce the numbers of those that use speed inappropriately and therefore merely reporting speeders will have less of a benefit on road safety in general.
M.Worthington
+3
Which bits of David and/or my comments are people actually agreeing or disagreeing with? ..the numbers don’t add up and seem to contradict. Are some people actually thinking that emergency service drivers should not be exempt where quick response times are vital? Is it a case of “Well if they’re allowed to speed, why shouldn’t I”? I thought I’d heard all the crazy excuses for speeding… until now.
Hugh Jones
--1
…not to mention going through red lights, operating radios and phones whilst at the wheel etc. etc. We trust the emergency service vehicle drivers to know what they’re doing, but unfortunately their training does not guarantee no collisions.
Whatever their level of training is however, I would like to think the resulting standard of driving is still higher than the everyday speeder, who doesn’t have a siren or blue lights to help mitigate the risk and also, doesn’t actually have a reason to speed in the first place.
Hugh Jones
--10
> Anyone who still believes that speeding is a trivial offence needs to think again. That’s because excessive or inappropriate speed has a singularly devastating impact on the safety of road users […]
In reference to this I look forward to the moment when various organisations that have an interest in improving road safety – including, say, the Police – put forward the case to Parliament for the repeal of all the exemptions that the emergency and security services enjoy for the purposes of carrying out their professional duties.
Most, if not all of these professional duties are inherently related to the preservation of life.
David Weston, Corby
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