Road safety is paramount to the Queensland Government.

In response to suggestions from the opposition today that speed cameras are purely revenue raisers, Minister for Transport, John Mickel said the issue of road safety is paramount to the Queensland Government.

“Speeding drivers kill, maim, disable and destroy lives,” said Mr Mickel.

“The opposition clearly does not value these lives.

“Nothing is more irresponsible than going into the festive period with a soft approach on this reckless behaviour.

“At a time when we are trying to protect lives, the opposition are out there endorsing behaviour that can destroy lives.”

Mr Mickel said it is not just the people directly involved in a road accident caused by speed that are touched.

“For every fatality it is estimated that the lives of between 200-300 mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, children and friends are effected,” said Mr Mickel.

“Speed cameras are there to act as a major deterrent to this senseless waste of life.

“According to the independent research carried out by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) on the effectiveness of the mobile speed camera program.

“The most recent evaluation, for the period 1 January 2006 to 30 June 2006, estimated that the number of serious casualty crashes prevented by the speed camera program in Queensland for those six months was 1,348.

“Prior to this in 2005, the speed camera program prevented an estimated 3,095 serious casualty crashes (within 2km of centre of speed camera zone).”

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Media Contact: Jane Rowe 3237 1125