Former F1 team boss supports speed cameras

The growing anti-speed-camera movement in Australia has been dealt a huge blow.

The former boss of Ferrari's championship-winning Formula One team, Jean Todt, has replaced his need for speed with a call to slow down.

The man who once oversaw the fastest cars and the best drivers on the planet became a road safety advocate 18 months ago when he was elected president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), a non-profit motoring and motorsports body.

Anyone hoping the man with motor racing in his blood might speak out against the increasing number of revenue-raising speed cameras will be sorely disappointed by his comments during a brief visit to Australia this week.

When asked by the Carsales Network if he and the FIA supported Australia's widespread fixed and mobile speed-camera enforcement, Todt said:

"We are in favour of every single [road safety] measure. I feel Australia has been doing an outstanding job. If you compare what was the situation 10 years ago and what is the situation now ... Australia has done an outstanding job. Obviously [speed] cameras are part of the actions which have been helping reduce the number of fatalities and accidents."

There has been a 25 per cent reduction in road fatalities in Australia between 2000 and 2010, according to Federal Government figures -- 1817 road deaths in the year 2000, to 1368 last year, the lowest result on record.

Over the same period, Todt said road fatalities in some of our neighbouring countries had doubled.

He said in 2009 approximately 1.3 million people died globally because of road accidents, and 15 million people were injured. "And the forecast is worse because if no strong action is taken by 2020 we could face around 2 million dead and 18 million injured," he added.

Todt pledged his support for speed cameras as the FIA announced a donation of $125,000 to help fund a program to encourage driver education among Australian school-age children. According to recent figures supplied by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, drivers aged 17 to 25 account for 16 per cent of road users but comprise 25 per cent of driver fatalities.

Through its local authority, the Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS), the FIA will help accredit 30 car clubs to give "vital pre-licence training" to teenage road users.

"We are pushing for greater synergy between motorsport and mobility (cars)," said Todt. "The way I see it, racing gives drivers the opportunity to use their skills in a controlled manner."

Todt said no age was too young to train a driver. "The best age is as soon as you can. Historically, the biggest champions started at three or four years old in a go- kart. Some were champions at five years old, before they attended school."

However, various state governments over the years have expressed concern that advanced training or racing skills can lead to greater risk-taking behaviour among some young drivers.

Todt said: "Do we say wrestling and boxing is encouraging fighting on the road? I don't think so. With motorsport you can promote and encourage good driving and safe driving and teach people how a car behaves."

However, both the FIA and CAMS do not have data which compares the road fatality rates of drivers with motorsport experience versus drivers in the general population.

Andrew Papadopoulos, president of the Confederation of Australian Motorsport, said:

"After cars and the [road] environment, the third factor in the [road toll] equation is the driver. Governments are putting a lot of measures in place to punish drivers, but not educate them.

"The programs we've done in schools so far have been well received," he said. "We would rather teach young drivers how to control a car in an environment that is organised and controlled rather than [have them discover] halfway towards a telegraph pole that they've made a fatal mistake."

Photo courtesy of Tarcus/Wikimedia commons

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