The familiar 'yellow box' speed control safety cameras are only located on roads with high numbers of speed related crashes in which people have been killed or seriously injured.

They are designed to be a high-visibility warning to drivers that they are traveling on a length of road where people have been killed or seriously injured.

They are meant to encourage drivers to check how they're driving - especially their speed - and if necessary slow down, so that there'll be less chance of them becoming, or causing, the next casualty.

If you see a camera, you are in a casualty danger zone!

In West Yorkshire, cameras are installed according to Government requirements covering where and how safety cameras should be placed, and the measures to be taken to ensure drivers are aware of them:

Fixed cameras may be installed on a site length between 0.4 and 1.5 km where there have been at least 3 collisions causing death or serious injury per km in the previous 3 years. In addition, there must have been a high number of other injury-causing collisions.

At least 20% of drivers must be exceeding the speed limit at the location. "Speeding" is defined as at least 10% above the speed limit plus 2mph (e.g. 35mph in a 30mph zone) for free-flowing traffic excluding any rush hour periods.

Cameras may only be used on a road length where it can be proved that other highways improvement and road safety measures have been tried but have failed significantly to reduce the numbers of crashes and casualties.

Fixed cameras are bright yellow so that drivers can easily see them. Camera warning signs are placed at the start of every stretch of camera-ed road and you'll find reminder signs along the monitored area.

We want motorists to see them, so that they'll check their speed and, if necessary, slow down. This is their primary purpose. They are not there to catch unwary motorists. They are there to help make the roads safer for everyone.

Temporary fixed cameras are sometimes used in West Yorkshire at roadworks on motorways and trunk roads where they are installed by the Highways Agency to enforce reduced speed limits for the purpose of protecting construction workers and drivers.

The installation of safety cameras is only one aspect of casualty reduction. We are always looking for the most effective measure in any situation and safety cameras are a last resort.