(Photo: Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net) Speeding cameras fixed along the Hume Highway which were deactivated in 2010, were tested earlier this year, revealing over 19 000 speeding offences over a 2 month period. The cameras will once again be activated to detect instantaneous offences along the highway, catching even those drivers who slowed down when nearing the cameras. During the initial testing stage earlier this year, about 412 drivers were caught driving at speeds that would ordinarily result in the loss of the licences. Authorities aim is to reduce number of crashes along the highway, which at the moment is extremely high. Over the past 3 years, 1000 collisions have occurred and 22 people have lost the lives due to accidents on the highway. Since 2010, when the cameras where deactivated due to a timing issue, they have been retested and installed with new software. This post on Fullyloaded.com provides more clarity on the issue:

• “We know that speed is a major factor in about one third of fatal collisions each year.
• “Cameras help to reduce road trauma and death on the state’s roads and are an important part of our overall enforcement approach.
• “The Victorian Auditor General conducted a thorough review into the state’s speed cameras system last year and its findings were very strong.
• “It found that both the technology and systems in place around the Victorian camera program are sounds and that the community can place a high degree of confidence in the accuracy and fairness of the system.”
• There are two enforcement zones as part of the Hume Highway camera system in each travel direction.
• In each zone there will be both point-to-point sections and instantaneous detection points.
• If motorists are detected speeding more than once, they will only receive one infringement notice per zone.
• The cameras will be turned back on during the week commencing August 20.
• Variable message sign boards will be in place on the highway from today informing motorists that the cameras will be switched on back soon.

Source: https://www.fullyloaded.com.au/industry-news/articleid/80648.aspx So with speeding being the contributing cause of approximately a third of all vehicle crashes, why is speeding such a major problem.  As drivers we roulette have a responsibility to drive within the limits in order to avoid seriously injuring ourselves or others. According to statistics reducing speed by 5 km/h would reduce rural crashes by about 30% and urban crashes by about 25%. Why exactly is speeding such a problem? Stopping distance needed increases One of the main reasons why speeding is so dangerous is because it increases the stopping distance needed to avoid a crash. There are two components to stopping distance that need to be taken into consideration, the distance travelled by the vehicle during the time it takes for the driver to react and the distance travelled once the brakes have been applied. Another aspect to be considered is the impact of speeding on crash risk. The risk of a crash doubles with 5km/h increase in speed on a 60km/h speed limited road, or with each 10km/h increase in speed on 110km/h roads. Although it is illegal to drive over the speed limit, this is not a deterrent to many drivers, who are oblivious that they are actually committing a crime.  The speed at which a vehicle is travelling, affects both the risk of a crash and the severity of crashes and the injuries that result. Basically driving over the speed limit, especially for truckies, increases the chances of being involved in a crash and increases the severity of the crash. Trucks can cause more damage, destruction and even death due to their size and enormity of trucks combined with trailers. Speeding also means you have less time to react to avoid a crash and it will take you longer to stop the vehicle, especially on a heavy vehicle which responds more slowly than light motor vehicles. Although truckies say they are often put under pressure to meet deadlines, which is why the speed, the consequences of a crash are even worse than those of losing one’s job. Authorities are taking a firmer stance towards speeding, and speeding trucks in particular so drivers who speed risk having their licence taken away and their vehicles impounded so they can be tested for speed limiter tampering. Hopefully speed cameras along the Hume Highway will serve as a deterrent to motorists and perhaps reduce the number of fatal crashes that we see on this highway each year.