Death On The Roads: Shock tactics aim to cut speeding

The Government's latest series of shocking adverts are designed to make speeding as unacceptable as drink-drinking. Randeep Ramesh, Transport Correspondent, reports on how ministers want to end the killing sprees of speed.

Ministers launched their hard-hitting "kill your speed" campaign yesterday aimed at reducing the death toll on the nation's roads caused by the thoughtless speeding of motorists.

The campaign includes TV adverts showing real-life video footage of happily playing children who were later killed by speeding motorists. The Government is determined to reduce deaths caused by speeding, which last year was linked to more than 1,000 deaths. Baroness Hayman, minister for roads, told journalists that the campaign would have been pulled if it had caused further distress to Buckingham Palace or the Spencer family following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The pounds 3.7m campaign - part of the "Kill Your Speed" initiative - features four children who are seen in home videos. One is William Blacklock, 13, who was knocked down and killed by a 19-year-old speeding motorist on a zebra crossing near his home in Olney, Buckinghamshire, in 1994.

Baroness Hayman said the Government was committed to creating a climate in which speeding was as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.

The Government was considering a number of measures that would encourage motorists to slow down. Baroness Hayman said 20mph zones were proving "particularly effective" in reducing crashes.

Another option considered by civil servants was to increase the number of speed cameras on Britain's roads. Tofund the new initiatives, money generated by fines would be used to buy more speed cameras. "We need to be careful that we improve road safety and not just raise revenue," said Baroness Hayman.

Motoring organisations welcomed the anti-speed campaign. The AA said: "We fully support the government's stance. More cameras would also be useful if they were targeted at accident blackspots and traffic lights."