Safety camera income should finance national collision investigation board

Britain needs a national collision investigation board in order to deliver better road safety and monitor the success of costly programmes like the current THINK! campaign.

That is the powerful conclusion reached in a paper produced by senior Sussex police officer Inspector Simon Labbett who made good use of a grant from the charitable arm of GEM Motoring Assist (formerly the Guild of Experienced Motorists) to study accident investigation techniques in the USA.

Simon says in his report that the advent of the motorcar has killed more people than any other invention in the history of mankind.

He said: “Casualty reduction is tangible and achievable if the causes of the incident are first fully understood and then the actual causes pursued and treated.”

He claims that the current data provided is relatively low level when compared to the potential available from road death investigations and this information remains largely untapped.

Simon argues: “There is a lack of interaction between the investigation process and those attempting to deliver road safety. Operations are isolated and not effectively coordinated to interact with the development of investigations. It is in this way society could help to progress the delivery of effective road safety and monitor the progress of campaigns.”

He says a far broader approach is needed than that currently adopted and there is a lack of ability to develop a consistent and scientific approach to emerging technologies and the adoption of standards and working practices.

“The UK or even the EU must prioritise the need to develop a national or international road collision investigation board,” Simon said.

“Each of the annual 3,200 fatalities in the UK are costing some £1.4million and this leads to an annual ongoing bill of £4.5 billion. This makes a clear cost effective need to establish a national collision investigation group. Initial set up costs could be provided from existing camera safety revenue.”

Simon has produced nine clear and distinctive recommendations all of which are supported by GEM.

“Simon has spent the GEM safety grant money well,” said David Williams, Chief Executive of GEM. “He has come up with some very important conclusions that need acting on now both as an economic expediency and to reduce the terrible weight of human suffering road accidents cause.”

GEM uses funds from its 65,000 members to support its charity that seeks to make the travel environment a safer place for all road users.

For more details about GEM Motoring Assist and its work and services to motorists visit motoringassist.com.