The
Study of the use of radar detectors in Western Australia
The
banning of Radar Detectors is, and should be a thing of the past.
Views that radar detectors are a licence or even an aid to a speeding
motorist, that radar detectors allow a user to speed with impunity and that
detector users are a road safety risk due to their speeding, are disproved
myths, once held by ill informed people.
International
Experience
In
the USA, laws banning the use of radar detectors have been repealed right across
the country bar two remaining states. Furthermore
the Federal Government has actually allocated US$2.1 million to the expansion of
Safety Warning Systems (“SWS”) across the USA.
Safety Warning Systems use radar detectors as a driver warning system and
actually contribute to saving lives.
In
the UK, the law banning the use of radar detectors was repealed in 1998.
The use of SWS (utilising Radar Detectors as Driver Warning Systems) is
also being proposed as a road safety initiative.
There have been suggestions that a duty be placed on each radar detector
sold to fund the purchase of Safety Warning System emitters.
In New Zealand, the use of radar detectors and SWS have been saving lives for the past few years. The SWS is used by Road Maintenance crews to alert drivers up to 1 km away emitting messages such as “Highway Work Crews Ahead”. Fire Brigade vehicles also utilise the SWS to warn motorists up to 1 km away of an “emergency vehicle in transit”.
Radar
Detectors and Road Statistics
Worldwide,
there has been a failure to show any evidence that the banning of radar
detectors has reduced road accidents and fatalities.
In Australia, the Transport Safety Bureau who compiles the Road
Statistics also concludes that there is no evidence to substantiate that the
banning of radar detectors has improved road statistics.
In fact evidence over the past few years has shown that the state where
radar detectors are legal has shown the greatest reduction of road fatalities
(refer Road Fatalities Australia 2001 Statistical Summary).
In
the US there have been hundreds of petitions lodged by uninformed petitioners
across all states to ban radar detectors. Parties
supporting a detector ban claim that detectors threaten public safety and
facilitate speeding motorists. The
examination of these claims by neutral fact finders chosen by the government,
has completely rejected these claims. In
all these cases there has been no substantive evidence to show that banning
radar detectors reduces the speed of drivers or reduces the number of road
fatalities.
Reference
to three independent studies on the use of radar detectors (Yankelovich Clancy
Shulman Report 1987 in the USA, MORI Report 2001 in the UK, and ADRA Survey 2000
in Australia) have all shown that radar detector users are safer drivers, having
fewer accidents per kilometre travelled, and being much more aware of their
speed limit than non-users.
The
ADRA, Mori Report and Yankelovich study all support the conclusion of
independent fact finders - radar detector users have fewer accidents per
kilometre travelled, are more aware of posted speed limits and in fact have
slowed down the driving for users of radar detectors.
To
understand why these surveys have produced similar findings and why neutral fact
finders have found similar results, we must look at the actual operation of a
radar detector and the effect it has on the user.
Tests
on the Operation of Radar Detectors in Western Australia
ADRA
has undertaken testing of the operation of the most popular models of radar
detectors in use in Western Australia. The
following points are relevant from a study completed
by a number of users in both country and metropolitan areas .
- Radar
detectors give an audible alert when they detect a radar frequency emission.
In Western Australia radar detectors are set to detect the presence
of K band, Ka band and laser emissions.
These are the radar frequencies used by police radar and laser speed
monitoring devices.
- Radar detectors not only detect emissions from speed cameras but also from any radar-emitting device. Such devices are usually found at most petrol stations, shopping centre doors, banks, office buildings, factory showrooms etc. These devices will set off an audible alert on a radar detector (the most expensive radar detectors reputedly give fewer alerts).
- A
radar detector cannot discern between a speed camera and any other
radar-emitting device. The
presence of other radar detectors will set off an audible alert.
Mobile phones used near a radar detector can set off an audible
alert. All these alerts are the
same as that for a speed camera or gun.
- When
driving, it is very difficult to determine the actual source of a radar
emission.
- Results
of the testing showed one user registered 288 alerts over a six week
period on K Band and Ka Band without coming across a single speed camera.
(Perth Metropolitan and Peel District)
- The
average number of alerts between speed camera detection for the other users
was 42 alerts. This
means the radar detector user receives an alert an average of 42 times
before actually detecting a speed camera.
The
Effect of Using a Radar Detector on Driver Behaviour
With
each radar alert, the radar detector user would usually check their speed in
case the alert happens to be a speed camera.
This is one of the reasons why radar detector users find that they are
much more aware of the speed limit, that they actually slow down after buying a
radar detector and they reportedly have fewer accidents.
Radar detector users are much more likely to be driving within the speed
limit in blackspots with speed cameras.
The flow on effect of this is that cars behind the radar detector user are forced to follow the speed limit of the car in front.
What
about the driver’s actions between alerts?
Radar detectors do not generally provide any warning of “instant on”
speed cameras or laser speed cameras. An
instant-on speed camera will obtain a speed-reading at the same instant that the
radar detector detects the speed camera emissions.
A detector will in fact only give an alert if the detector is actually
hit by an “instant on camera” or laser gun.
These guns are generally aimed at the bonnet or number plate of a vehicle
and in many cases a speed reading is taken without activating a detector alert.
On the open
road a Multanova radar emission is reduced to about 40 metres because of the
lack of objects to reflect the beam. A
speeding motorist with a radar detector would incur a speeding infringement.
The use of laser and instant-on radar cameras is more prevalent on the
open road and in country areas.
|
Instant on and laser speed cameras have also been used more frequently in built-up metropolitan areas and a wide advertising campaign on road side billboards and bus shelters has also been effective in advising the drivers of the presence of instant-on and laser cameras. |
 |
There
is a wide range of cheap radar detectors on the market that produce a higher
number of alerts from other radar emitting devices.
These detectors will generally only provide an audible alert within 20
metres of a Multanova speed camera. A
speeding motorist would incur an infringement at that distance.
With
this evidence one would be led to ask why someone would buy a radar detector?
Drivers buy radar detectors because they reduce their chance of incurring
a speeding infringement. In doing
this, radar detectors make that driver more aware of the speed limits, more
aware of the possible presence of speed cameras and usually a safer, more alert
driver.
Increased
Public Awareness of Police Speed Cameras
There
are a variety of speed radars used in Western Australia. These include the
Multanova Speed Camera, LTI-20 20 Laser Camera and the KR 10SP Mobile Radar K
band speed camera. Nearly all
Police Vehicles in Western Australia carry a speed radar.
It
is a common belief among law enforcement agencies both in Australia and overseas
that the visibility and constant reminder of speed cameras is much more
effective than a hidden campaign of speed detection.
Most road safety programs include this proposition in their campaigns. The WA Road Safety campaign has spent thousands of dollars on
advertising, advising drivers that a speed camera may check their speed.
The advertising is positioned to remind drivers that speed cameras are
around.
Police
websites around Australia advertise the location of both fixed and mobile speed
cameras. Police provide most radio and TV stations with the locations
of speed cameras for the next day. Drivers
are constantly updated over the airwaves of the location and often exact
location of speed cameras. The
presence and use of speed cameras is sign posted in all states.
Multanova speed cameras are now placed in more visible locations in
Western Australia and usually in designated black spot areas to make sure
drivers comply with the safe speed limit in that area.
It
is believed that reminders that a speed camera is being used is much more
effective than just the issuing of a speeding fine.
Most police agencies in Australia now publicise the whereabouts of their
speed cameras. The NSW Police Department and RTA have provided the exact
location of their speed cameras to the UBD for the 2003 edition in both digital
version and hardcopy.
Modern
GPS systems in cars can utilise the digital version of the 2003 UBD to warn them
when they are approaching speed camera locations, all with the aid of the RTA
and the Police Dept. Other states are likely to follow suit. “The more people
that who know where they are, the more people will modify their behavior and
slow down.” - NSW RTA Spokesperson.
Police
reporting of camera locations, radio station traffic reports, cars flashing
their lights and the more visible locations of speed cameras all do the same
thing. Because the radar detector user chooses to pay for a device
that provides the same warning, they are more likely to pay attention to the
numerous audible alerts given on any stretch of road.
The
number of visible police vehicles on the road, the use of laser and instant on
speed cameras are also a constant reminder that if they speed, they will get
caught. Speed signs and warning signs slip by generally unnoticed by
the regular driver. A screeching
alarm warning of another radar alert prompts detector users to check their
speed.
If
we agree with the proposition of law enforcement agencies that the more people
are reminded about the prevalence of speed cameras, the better the result, one
can see why most informed legislators are repealing laws banning radar
detectors.
Independent
reports and studies have attested to the fact that radar detector users are in
fact safer drivers. With this
evidence and the hundreds of studies by independent bodies, published surveys
and the active promotion of the speed camera locations by all police
authorities, it is clear to see why radar detector bans are being lifted around
the world.
Speed
Cameras, Radar Detectors and Driver Safety
There
does not appear to be any evidence from any agency in the world that banning
radar detectors saves lives or reduces speeding.
From the evidence that is available, it raises suspicions of a revenue
generating motive behind any government moves to ban radar detectors,
particularly where funds raised from speeding infringements are not
substantially injected back into road safety projects.
Recently,
British Colombia in Canada dismantled their speed camera campaign.
Speed cameras were seen by many as just a revenue raising exercise.
Money spent on speed cameras will be diverted to other more effective
programs.
Cases
in Victoria have found that some speed cameras have been operating with a 10%
error. There is a test case
currently before the courts challenging the validity of the speed camera data
(Dr Wolf Garwoli speed camera expert. Melb Victoria). ADRA is currently waiting
for supportive documentation.
In
Western Australia, the banning of radar detectors would clearly be to the
detriment of road safety overall. A
ban on the use of radar detectors would eliminate the ability to utilise the
safety benefits of the Safety Warning System for all road users and emergency
vehicles with the Safety Warning System. A ban on the use of radar detectors in
WA would limit the rights of the 30,000 to 40,000 radar detector users, without
achieving greater road safety.
Previous
moves to ban the use of Radar Detectors in Western Australia were vehemently
opposed by the driving public, the media and by some informed politicians.
Thousands signed petitions and subsequently the rights of the users were not
removed. There is still no evidence
that a ban on radar detectors would reduce speeding or reduce road accidents.
An already skeptical public would clearly see it as a revenue raising
exercise.
I
am confident that armed with the facts, the WA Road Safety Council will
recommend the continued legal use of radar detectors in Western Australia and
consider supporting the expansion of use of the SWS in saving the lives of West
Australians.
Written
By: Glenn Secco – President ADRA (Australian Drivers Rights Association)
December 2002.
References
1.
ADRA Radar Detector User Survey 2000
2.
MORI Radar Detector Survey UK 2001
3.
Legislative Packet US RADAR Association 1992
4.
Comparison of
Accident Rates of Radar Detector Users and Non users, Yankelovich Clancy Shulman,
May 1987
5.
Yankelovich Clancy Shulman Study Nov 1988
6.
Radar Detectors in Commercial Vehicles, May 1992
7.
Australian
Transport Safety Board 2001 Road Fatalities excerpts
8.
Street
Directory that can see round corners, Joshua Dowling Motoring Editor, SMH 23
July 2002
9.
Call for speed
camera changes, The Chronicle, 7 August 2002
10.
Why are fixed
speed cameras located where they are? RTA NSW
11.
Speed Cameras,
ACT Government website
12.
Limits on
Speedsters, Gordon Lomas Courier Mail, 2 March 2000
13.
Watching the
Detectives, Andrew English, Daily Telegraph – UK
14.
Are Radar
Detectors Burglars Tools? Radar Association position paper.
15.
US
Radar Detector Laws, www.afn.org