Speed Cameras Save Lives, Study Shows

Perhaps one of the most dreaded contraptions on public roads, the speed cameras, have fallen right into the path of angry motorists in recent years. Because they are more and more diverse in nature and more and more present on public roads, the cameras have begun being hated so much by drivers, that at times they are being set on fire.

But here comes salvation for the cameras: they save lives, a study shows. Conducted by the Cochrane Collaboration (whose primary area of expertise is not speed cameras, but health care), the study found that that in the majority of the cases, the number of accidents on a given stretch of road decreased by 49 percent since the introduction of the cameras.

After looking into 28 separate other studies and compiling them, the organization found that fatal and serious crashes decreased by in between 11 and 44 percent in the area where the cameras operate.

"While there is variation in the results, the overall finding is clear – speed cameras do reduce injuries and deaths," Cecilia Wilson, one of the authors of the study was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

"Compared with controls, the average speed fell as did the percentage of vehicles that exceeded local speed limits. The numbers of crashes in the areas of the cameras also fell, as did the numbers of people killed or injured.”

Now don't go thinking this applies only to the UK for instance. The Cochrane Collaboration study looked into reports from several countries, including the US, the Netherlands and Norway.

Of course, those fighting against cameras say the study is not a study in itself, but a real mess, with numbers coming from other studies melted together to form the desired effect.

“With no links to any of the studies and only a few very broad comments there is no reason to take this seriously," said Claire Armstrong from Safe Speed.