{"id":390,"date":"2025-02-28T13:36:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T13:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterdrivingsaveslives.co.uk\/?page_id=390"},"modified":"2025-03-31T20:15:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T20:15:40","slug":"county-surveyor-john-joseph-leeming","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/betterdrivingsaveslives.co.uk\/?page_id=390","title":{"rendered":"John Joseph Leeming (County Surveyor)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Road Accidents: Prevent or Punish?” by J.J. Leeming, first published in 1969, is a seminal work by a British civil engineer and traffic expert who challenges the prevailing approach to road safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on his extensive experience as County Surveyor of Dorset and his earlier work in Oxfordshire, Leeming argues that the focus of motoring laws and policies on punishing drivers is misguided and ineffective. Instead, he advocates for a preventative approach rooted in understanding the true causes of accidents through scientific analysis and road engineering solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leeming\u2019s central thesis is that the “blame culture” surrounding road accidents\u2014where drivers are almost automatically held accountable\u2014obscures the real factors contributing to collisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He asserts that simply punishing motorists does little to reduce accident rates and may even hinder efforts to identify and address underlying issues. He famously states, \u201cIt is of no practical use to say that such-and-such must or could or should or might cause accidents. We must know if it does cause them.\u201d This reflects his belief that empirical evidence, not assumptions, should guide road safety strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book draws heavily on Leeming\u2019s decades of on-site accident investigations, beginning in the 1930s under Lt.-Col. G.T. Bennett in Oxfordshire, where he pioneered traffic engineering studies. He uses real-world examples to illustrate how factors like poor road design, inadequate signage, and misleading layouts often play a larger role in accidents than driver error. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One notable case he discusses involves a fatal crash at Warmwell Cross, where a driver ignored a Halt sign and collided with a lorry. While drink-driving was initially blamed, Leeming\u2019s investigation revealed that the road\u2019s incline hid the sign and markings from view, a flaw that had trapped unfamiliar drivers before. He identifies multiple contributing factors\u2014chance, human error, road layout, and legal pressures\u2014demonstrating the complexity of accident causation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leeming critiques the legal and policing systems, arguing that their emphasis on charging drivers with offences like failing to obey signs prevents engineers from uncovering systemic flaws. He suggests that this punitive approach creates a cycle where true causes remain unaddressed, and accidents persist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, he proposes practical solutions: better road design (e.g., visible signage, speed-calming measures), evidence-based engineering, and a shift in focus from punishment to prevention. He also touches on the counterintuitive idea that roads appearing dangerous may actually be safer, as they prompt cautious driving\u2014a precursor to modern “shared space” concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The book includes contributions from experts like Dr. G.M. Mackay, who discusses vehicle design and crash protection, and Dr. K.F.M. Pole, who examines the driver\u2019s medical perspective, enriching Leeming\u2019s engineering focus with interdisciplinary insights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its age, the work remains relevant, though some aspects, like legal specifics, have evolved since 1969. Leeming\u2019s call to prioritize prevention over punishment challenges policymakers, engineers, and society to rethink road safety, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in reducing the “appalling slaughter on the roads.” His evidence-driven, holistic approach continues to resonate as a critique of simplistic blame-based strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A paper by Leeming entitled “The Law Is Killing 3000 People A Year published in Motor Magazine (February 7th 1970) can be read here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n