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Slow Down Stupid – QLD Transport

Once again we're nearing the holiday season and that means the state transport departments are gearing up to cash in on our holiday travel. First up, Queensland Transport has continued with its "slow down stupid" campaign now focused on the financial cost of speeding.


In an email sent out to discourage speeding on behalf of the "here for life" team, QLD Transport states that 58,919 drivers were issued with speeding tickets just last December (in QLD). Let's do the maths. Even if all the tickets fell in the smallest penalty group for speeding (less than 13 kilometres per hour over the speed limit - A$133 + one demerit point) QLD transport would've still collected a cool $7.8 million. Not bad for a month's work.

The entire email makes no mention of any other road-safety issues except excessive speed. If the email is taken literally then as far as QLD Transport is concerned, so long as you don't speed you won't have an accident. This is somewhat misleading given that only 1/5 fatal crashes are caused by excessive speed.

Unlike some states, Road Worthy Certificates are not required on a yearly basis for vehicles registered in Queensland. Hence, one has ask how many lives could be saved if focus was shifted from just targeting speeding drivers to other equally or more important issues.

Perhaps QLD transport could really be "here for life" if it educated drivers in:

  • Making sure their vehicle is ready for travel - checking tyres, brake pads, vehicle fluids, windscreen wipers, etc...
  • Refreshing their understanding of road rules.
  • Encouraging participation in advanced or defensive driver training courses.

What ever the case may be, it's clear that despite this year's road toll showing no significant drop (even with extra speed cameras) the authorities have once again began their fear campaign to justify the existence of more and more speed cameras on our roads.

Nonetheless, things haven't been all that smooth for QLD Transport so far this year. In June the state's Police union publicly opposed the introduction of covert speed cameras with Queensland’s police union president Ian Leavers stating that covert speed cameras are “poker machines on wheels".

How much faith can one have in the "speed cameras save lives" campaign if there is no data to suggest any correlation with the increase in the number of speed cameras and a reduction in road toll?

If you're interested, you can watch QLD Transport's new TVC here.

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