Safer speeds: public acceptance and compliance

A key element of the Safer Journeys national road safety strategy is safer speeds. In some cases, particularly where investment to make roads safer at current speeds cannot be justified, this means reduced speed limits for both urban and rural roads. This research considered the level of acceptance of and compliance with reduced speed limits. It examined information from a number of speed limit changes around New Zealand, including town centres, along strip shopping, suburban streets, mountainous roads, flat state highways and local roads. Before and after speeds were compared for any speed reductions and driver compliance. The acceptance of reduced speed limits was researched using the limited literature available on this topic, a web questionnaire survey and the experience of three local councils. These showed a greater acceptance of reduced speed limits on hilly and mountainous rural roads and in shopping streets. There was less acceptance for reduced speed limits in suburban streets (except immediately around schools) and on straight flat rural roads with a lot of roadside hazards and frequently occurring priority intersections. Drivers do not appear to understand the crash risks of these scenarios, even when relatively extensive media and consultation programmes are undertaken.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/reports/563/
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780478419948
• Corporate Authors:

  New Zealand Transport Agency

  Private Bag 6995, Wellington 6141, New Zealand
  Wellington,    
• Authors:
  • Turner, S
  • Logan, D
  • Khoo, J
  • Bosher, S
  • Trumper, H
• Publication Date: 2014-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 147p
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 563

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Before and after studies; Computers; Public opinion; Rural areas; Rural highways; Speed limits; Speeding; Surveys; Urban areas; Urban highways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Interviews; Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: New Zealand
• ATRI Terms: Attitude; Before and after study; Online Survey; Public opinion; Rural road; Speed limit; Urban road
• ITRD Terms: 9148: Before and after study
• Subject Areas: Highways; Society; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01553633
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 9780478419948
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 17 2015 2:23PM