RECENT ADVANTAGES OF LOWER SPEED LIMITS IN AUSTRALIA

Along with alcohol and fatigue, speed has been identified in Australia as one of the biggest contributors to road traffic accidents. Over time, changing enforcement techniques and technology has been applied with some degree of success in rural and urban areas. From 1997, the speed limits on residential roads were slowly changed from the default 60km/h to 50km/h. By 2003, all but one of the jurisdictions had adopted the new lower speed limit. Although only applying to residential roads and not major roads, considerable crash benefits have been reported. Reductions in the order of 20% in casualty crashes have been observed and in particular, significant benefits appear to exist for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians. This paper discusses some of the research observations surrounding the adoption of the lower speed limit in Australia and discusses the link between overall vehicle speeds and crash frequency based on international literature.

[1]  Göran Nilsson,et al.  Traffic Safety Dimensions and the Power Model to Describe the Effect of Speed on Safety , 2004 .

[2]  F-K Scharping.  EXPERIENCE REPORT. 30 KM/H SPEED LIMITED ZONES IN HAMBURG. SPEED REDUCTION MEASURES ON MAJOR INNER CITY ROADS , 1994 .

[3]  O. Svenson.  ARE WE ALL LESS RISKY AND MORE SKILLFUL THAN OUR FELLOW DRIVERS , 1981 .

[4]  B Kidd,et al.  POST 50 KILOMETRES PER HOUR IMPLEMENTATION DRIVER SPEED COMPLIANCE: WESTERN AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE IN PERTH METROPOLITAN AREA , 2003 .

[5]  J Sliogeris.  110 KILOMETRE PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT - EVALUATION OF ROAD SAFETY EFFECTS , 1992 .

[6]  Parker,et al.  Effects of raising and lowering speed limits on selected roadway sections , 1997 .

[7]  H Peltola.  SEASONALLY CHANGING SPEED LIMITS , 1991 .

[8]  G Nilsson.  REDUCTION OF THE 110 KM/H SPEED LIMIT TO 90 KM/H DURING SUMMER 1989. EFFECTS ON PERSONAL INJURY ACCIDENTS, INJURED AND SPEEDS , 1990 .

[9]  Craig N. Kloeden,et al.  TRAVELLING SPEED AND THE RISK OF CRASH INVOLVEMENT ON RURAL ROADS , 2001 .

[10]  Peter Vulcan,et al.  A 50 KM/H DEFAULT URBAN SPEED LIMIT FOR AUSTRALIA? , 2001 .

[11]  F. McKenna,et al.  Factors underlying illusory self-assessment of driving skill in males and females. , 1991, Accident Analysis and Prevention.

[12]  Max Cameron.  Estimation of the optimum speed on urban residential streets , 2001 .

[13]  P Delhomme,et al.  Comparing one's driving with others': assessment of abilities and frequency of offences. Evidence for a superior conformity of self-bias? , 1991, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[14]  Craig N. Kloeden,et al.  REANALYSIS OF TRAVELLING SPEED AND THE RISK OF CRASH INVOLVEMENT IN ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA , 2002 .

[15]  D M DeJoy,et al.  The optimism bias and traffic accident risk perception. , 1989, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[16]  A Baruya,et al.  THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPEED AND ACCIDENTS OF RURAL SINGLE-CARRIAGEWAY ROADS , 2002 .

[17]  Stuart Vaughan Newstead.  Evaluation of the crash effects of the changes in speed zones in Victoria during 1993-1994 (excluding 100 to 110 km/h) , 1998 .

[18]  D Walton,et al.  Drivers' biased perceptions of speed and safety campaign messages. , 2001, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[19]  Jeremy Woolley,et al.  Evaluation of the 50km/h default urban speed limit in South Australia , 2004 .

[20]  A J McLean,et al.  RURAL SPEED AND CRASH RISK , 2001 .

[21]  D Walsh,et al.  EFFECTIVE SPEED MANAGEMENT: THE NEXT STEP FORWARD: SAVING LIVES BY DECREASING SPEEDS IN LOCAL STREETS , 1999 .

[22]  U Engel.  THE EFFECTS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF 50 KM/H IN URBAN AREAS , 1990 .