Faster speed limits - less accidents? | Vital Football

Faster speed limits - less accidents?

The Fear

The Fear

A Wise Man (once sat next to him)
http://cars.aol.co.uk/2014/02/24/danish-road-experiment-sees-accident-rate-fall-on-faster-roads/?ncid=webmail19

A two-year experiment by the Danish road authorities has revealed that the accident rate has fallen on both single carriageway rural roads and motorways, where the speed limit has been raised.
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Danish authorities made the decision to raise the speed limit from 80 km/h (50mph) to 90 km/h (56mph) on two-way rural roads two years ago and increase certain sections of the motorway to 130 km/h (80mph) from 110 km/h (68mph) nine years ago.

Results have shown that accidents have decreased on single-carriageway roads due to a reduction in the speed differential between the slowest and fastest cars.
 
I've been saying this for years. There is nothing wrong with going 80 on the Motorway, until you come across someone doing 55 in the outside lane. If you are all going at the same speed and leave enough distance between cars then I can see this as being completely repeatable here.

The only thing that would have to change in this Country is the Truck Drivers pulling out doing 56. They are so dangerous.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 25/2/2014 10:10


The only thing that would have to change in this Country is the Truck Drivers pulling out doing 56. They are so dangerous.
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That happens everywhere due to European laws making limmiters restricting top speed to 80kph on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes compulsary. Buses and mini buses can apply (and are usually granted) for this to be increased to 90kph.
 
Villan Of The North - 25/2/2014 09:27

HeathfieldRoad1874 - 25/2/2014 10:10


The only thing that would have to change in this Country is the Truck Drivers pulling out doing 56. They are so dangerous.
Click to expand...

That happens everywhere due to European laws making limmiters restricting top speed to 80kph on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes compulsary. Buses and mini buses can apply (and are usually granted) for this to be increased to 90kph.
Click to expand...

I know Ian, but it was more the fact that they just pull out in front of cars over here, with no thought for safety. I'm doing 80 in the inside lane, and a truck wants to overtake another, and they just go for it. No checking their mirrors, no consideration for the driver coming up. It would just be nice if they did what we do - look first.
 
HeathfieldRoad1874 - 25/2/2014 10:38

Villan Of The North - 25/2/2014 09:27

HeathfieldRoad1874 - 25/2/2014 10:10


The only thing that would have to change in this Country is the Truck Drivers pulling out doing 56. They are so dangerous.
Click to expand...

That happens everywhere due to European laws making limmiters restricting top speed to 80kph on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes compulsary. Buses and mini buses can apply (and are usually granted) for this to be increased to 90kph.
Click to expand...

I know Ian, but it was more the fact that they just pull out in front of cars over here, with no thought for safety. I'm doing 80 in the inside lane, and a truck wants to overtake another, and they just go for it. No checking their mirrors, no consideration for the driver coming up. It would just be nice if they did what we do - look first.
Click to expand...

It's the same over here Bob, in fact experience tells me that despite driving standards falling in the UK since I lived there, the level of consideration is still higher than here. Sweden is great, a bit like I remember the UK being 20 years ago, perhaps better but Norway is dreadful. Mind you, the problem is eased a little by the country's top spead limit being just 100kph so the speed differences are usually less.
 
Speed limits are a scam. If governments weren't raking in the cash in speeding fines fining drivers for driving perfectly safe speeds, there wouldn't be speed limits any more.
 
I disagree with that BB, we need speed limits on pretty much all roads other than motorways for safety reasons and even motorways need them on occasions.
 
Think they are needed, some people are just nutters on the road, but the Police seem to want the motorway limits increased as they know 90% (stat out of thin air) of road users are currently breaking them!
 
If you take them away you're going to end up with a situation where people are driving at god knows how fast and the number of fatalities will just go up and up until they get so bad they have to bring back the speed limits.

I do think there's a problem of unjustified speed limits, I'm just learning to drive and it's so annoying when there's a speed limit that's too slow for that road and I have to slow down and the other cars are trying to get past - it's more dangerous in my opinion than having a higher speed limit
 
david-avfc - 26/2/2014 17:05

If you take them away you're going to end up with a situation where people are driving at god knows how fast and the number of fatalities will just go up and up until they get so bad they have to bring back the speed limits.

I do think there's a problem of unjustified speed limits, I'm just learning to drive and it's so annoying when there's a speed limit that's too slow for that road and I have to slow down and the other cars are trying to get past - it's more dangerous in my opinion than having a higher speed limit
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IMO many residential streets should be 20mph as should driving past a school in school hours (no need for it at 10pm though) and it should be very strictly enforced. Motorways should definitely have increased speed limits, if not removed - I'm a bit in two minds about that.
 
For me, it comes down to basic freedom. The speed that is appropriate on a deserted 4 lane motorway and the speed that is appropriate on a 4 lane motorway that is full of cars are completely different. The speed that is appropriate in a residential neighbourhood in the afternoon is probably 15 or 20 mph and I don't need the police or government telling me that or fining me if I drive 21 mph.

Speeding fines are nothing to do with safety and everything to do with revenue. It's the nanny state telling you what is appropriate and what isn't regardless of circumstances.

Speed limits are like saying that 2 pints is the maximum you should ever drink. It's probably right for a company Christmas party with your bosses around and completely inappropriate for a Christmas booze up with your mates.
 
Great post BB. My friend is a Taxi driver, and they have to be so careful. They are on deserted roads at 2.00 in the morning, and having to watch for 30mph cameras. It's just nonsense.

Surely the point of the OP was that in a two year experiment, accidents reduced when speed limits were increased. That says it all, so really, there is no debate. is there? On some roads, you can increase the limit and be safer.

Around Brighton now they have introduced a 20mph limit, which includes the Village I live in. The trouble is, it's not enforceable as an Act of Parliament is needed. Still, it does slow some down, which is needed sometimes. The trouble is, emissions will increase, as you will be driving in a lower gear, so it is swings and roundabouts.
 
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