PUBLIC POSTING OF SPEEDING INFORMATION IN URBAN AREAS

A trial to evaluate the effectiveness of public posting of speeding information on the speeding behaviour of motorists was conducted on an urban arterial road in Perth, western Australia. The trial involved the installation of road signs displaying the percentage of motorists observed speeding on the road in the previous week. The results of the trial indicate that this method of influencing the speeding behaviour of motorists was highly effective. There was a statistically significant reduction in high vehicle speeds. Six months after the installation of the signs, this result was being maintained. Speed surveys conducted indicated that the incidence of motorists travelling at speeds exceeding 80 kph was significantly reduced. The proportion of motorists exceeding 80 kph initially fell from 11 per cent to 4 per cent. Although there was little police enforcement support, high speed reductions were maintained over the six months of the trial. In the final survey, 7 per cent of motorists were observed exceeding 80 kph. The transition back towards the higher speeds which were observed in the pre sign period suggests that increased enforcement support is necessary to contain high vehicle speeds for periods in excess of six months. It is unlikely that the reduction in high speeds observed for the duration of this study could have been achieved through traditional police enforcement or use of other low cost publicity. Thus, the use of public posting of speeding information as a method of deterring motorists from travelling at high speeds is considered to be most promising. It is recommended that public posting of speeding information be employed on other urban roads with histories of speeding and associated high accident rates. Random highly visible police enforcement should accompany public posting. (Author/TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Western Australia Police Department

  22 Mount Street
  Perth, Western Australia,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Phillips, N
  • MAISEY, G
• Publication Date: 1989-1

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 31 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arterial highways; Attitudes; Behavior; Crash rates; Crimes; Data collection; Driver information systems; Drivers; Evaluation; Law enforcement; Measures of effectiveness; Police; Publicity; Speed; Speed limits; Traffic signs; Urban areas
• Uncontrolled Terms: Decreases; Effectiveness; Observation
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 1612: Accident rate; 2267: Attitude (psychol); 8006: Australia; 9001: Behaviour; 8623: Data acquisition; 9009: Decrease; 1772: Driver; 5911: Efficiency; 1534: Enforcement (law); 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 2748: Main road; 1516: Offence; 1522: Police; 8573: Publicity; 5408: Speed; 624: Speed limit; 9101: Surveillance; 553: Traffic sign; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00491494
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 31 1990 12:00AM