The use of speed cameras to reduce road casualties is probably one of the most contentious areas of road safety policy, often attracting widespread criticism. IAM wanted to know how public opinion compares to the different arguments in the debate on speed cameras. To do this they have commissioned a public opinion survey on speed cameras every summer for the last six years, giving us over 6,000 responses. This report covers the survey results and shows that people generally believe that speed cameras have a positive impact on road safety. It also finds that acceptance of cameras has increased over time. Although most people think that switching off cameras would have a negative impact on road casualties they are less sure of the motives for cameras. Few people believe that money from fines is not a motive for installing cameras, and many people doubt that cameras are only installed on roads with a history of traffic collisions. The results show that there is clearly more to be done to reassure the public about the purpose and funding of speed cameras. (Author/publisher)
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