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Automated speed and red-light enforcement reduced the percentage of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 58 percent, the number of persons killed or seriously injured by 4 to 65 percent, and the personal injury accident rate by 6 percent.

Experience with automated enforcement systems in Great Britain.

Date Posted
07/25/2003
Identifier
2007-B00344
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Department for Transport: A cost recovery system for speed and red-light cameras - two year pilot evaluation

Summary Information

This independent report encapsulated the results of a two year pilot study designed to evaluate safety impacts and customer satisfaction associated with increased deployment of automated speed cameras and red-light cameras in Great Britain. The objective was to measure impacts on vehicle speeds, casualties, and injuries in each city and compare statistics between camera sites, adjacent areas, and the long term trends nationwide. The pilot test was conducted from April 2000 to March 2002 and included 599 sites in eight regions (Cleveland, Essex, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire (Northants), Nottingham, South Wales, Strathclyde and Thames Valley).

The following technologies were deployed:

Speed Enforcement – Fixed mount cameras were installed on roadways (1 km sections) where accidents occurred most often, and machine vision speed cameras were installed on high speed urban roadways where vehicle speeds could be determined from greater distances. In addition, portable (mobile) speed camera systems were set up on longer sections of roadway where accident frequency was less clustered. The portable system; however, required police to be on site during the monitoring to collect video or wet film evidence.

Red-light Enforcement – These fixed mount cameras were installed to collect images of vehicles running red lights. The evaluation of the red light cameras was limited due to the small number of sites available.

FINDINGS

To establish a baseline for comparison and account for preexisting trends, accident and injury rates were tracked for 13 quarters prior to deployment. The table below outlines the impacts of automated enforcement or the impacts of increased automated enforcement in each region. The changes identified in the table are relative to the expected values given the preexisting trends rather than the actual values. Note that not all camera sites provided data in the calculation of changes in speed, killed or seriously injured (KSI), and personal injury accidents (PIA).

Overall, compared to the long-term trend, the following results were reported based on a statistical analysis of casualties at 599 camera sites and in the wider pilot areas.

At camera sites:
  • There was a 35 percent reduction in KSIs.
  • There was a reduction in PIAs of 6 percent.
In the wider pilot areas:
  • There was a 4 percent reduction in KSI casualties below the long-term trend.
  • KSI casualties fell by 65 percent at fixed camera sites.
  • Pedestrian KSI casualties at all camera sites fell by 56 percent.
Location
Type
Number of Sites
Conditions
Crash Impacts at camera sites after 2 years

Crash Impacts on wider partnership area after 2 years

Change in Vehicles exceeding speed limit Change in Vehicles exceeding speed limit and by more than 15 mph
Cleveland
Mobile

33
Area had little experience prior to pilot. All but one site were 30 mi/h zones. KSI casualties decreased 53% and PIAs fell 45%.

No statistically significant change
-46% (mobile)
-65% (mobile)
Lincolnshire
Mobile

Fixed

2

42

Area had little experience prior to pilot. About half of sites were 60-70 mi/h zones.KSI casualties fell by 62% and PIAs by 39% KSIs decreased by 12%.
-73% (fixed)
-94% (fixed)
Northants
Mobile

Fixed

45

5

Area had little experience prior to pilot. Ten sites were 60-70 mi/h zones. KSI casualties fell by 39%.

KSI casualties fell by 9%
-81% (fixed)
-98% (fixed)
Nottingham
Red Light

Mobile

Digital

19

7

2

Area had little experience prior to pilot. Most sites were 30 mi/h zones. KSI casualties fell by 31%.

No statistically significant change
-6% (mobile)
Strathclyde
Fixed
28
Nearly all sites were in 30 mi/h zones. Area had extensive experience prior to pilot.KSI casualties at camera sites were down by 67%. PIAs were down by 64% at camera sites.

KSI casualties were down by 14% in the city as a whole.
-61% (fixed)
-61% (fixed)
Essex
Mobile
46
Area had a long history of camera enforcement with casualty reduction. All mobile enforcement took place in urban areas.

No statistically significant change.
N/A
-24% (mobile)
-44% (mobile)
Thames Valley
Fixed

Mobile

226

50

Area had a long history of camera enforcement. Most sites were in 30 mi/h zones.

PIAs increased by 14%.

N/A
-65% (fixed)
-98% (fixed)
South Wales
Fixed

Mobile

70

26

Area had a long history of camera enforcement.

PIAs decreased by 16%.
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A = Not Applicable

Department for Transport: A cost recovery system for speed and red-light cameras - two year pilot evaluation

Department for Transport: A cost recovery system for speed and red-light cameras - two year pilot evaluation
Source Publication Date
02/12/2003
Author
Gains, Adrian, et al. (PA Consulting Group, and University College London)
Publisher
Department for Transport, Road Safety Division
Goal Areas