OCTOBER 18, 1996
GOVERNMENT MANIPULATES STATISTICS IN AN
ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY PHOTO RADAR TAX GRAB

VANCOUVER -- A Ministry of Transportation and Highways press release
dated October 18, 1995, titled "Traffic Statistics Reveal Full Impact
of Speeding in Road Crashes," is a misleading attempt by our cash
strapped government to justify its coming photo radar.

Please find attached a one page series of tables which accurately
portray the incidence of unsafe speed and alcohol as cited in accident
reports.  Also attached is a chart, based on the tables, showing
graphically the failure of the government to remove alcohol from its
figures.

Fully 40% (77 of 192) of fatal accidents where speed was a contributing
factor included alcohol.  Photo radar will do nothing to apprehend these
dangerous drivers.  Once alcohol is removed, unsafe speed is cited in
only 12.8% of injury accidents and 22.5% of fatal accidents.  However,
these figures further fail to differentiate between accidents above the
speed limit and at speed excessive for conditions (below the speed
limit).  Photo radar will not address drivers driving at speed excessive
for conditions.

Further they cite speed as a factor, not as the cause of the accident.
Should the government choose to cite speed only when it is the cause of
the accident, the numbers would be significantly smaller.

Careful reading of the points on page 2 of the Ministry press release
will reveal:

  1.  that unsafe speed accidents usually occur at the same times as
  alcohol accidents, raising the question of under-reporting of alcohol
  or other intoxicating substances.  Once again, photo radar will do
  nothing to prevent these accidents.

  2.  that while males are cited a having 3.5 times the unsafe speed
  accidents of females, males on average drive approximately twice the
  total annual kilometers of females, and do a greater proportion of
  their driving on higher speed roads than do females.

  3.  that unsafe speed fatalities typically are single vehicle
  accidents, somewhat contradicting the Minister's rationalization to
  "get tougher on those who put everyone else on the road at risk."

  4.  that while younger drivers are far more prone to be involved in
  unsafe speed accidents, it is unlikely that the threat of photo radar
  will temper their desire to test their abilities.  The desired change
  in behaviour will only be accomplished through education and training -
  not penalization.

S.E.N.S.E. co-founder Ian Tootill said Wednesday, "This is yet another
indication of the one-dimensional view that government is taking to road
safety in B.C. - more of the same 'speed-kills' propaganda designed to
soften the public up for photo radar."

[tables deleted]