Lowering the Default Speed Limit in Residential Areas: Opportunities for Policy Influence and the Role of Public Health Professionals

Improving the road environment in residential areas can address a variety of concerns, including road safety, obesity and climate change. This paper discusses the policy of lowering the default speed limit in residential areas to investigate how this policy could be advanced through shared agendas of injury prevention, public health and environmental protection professionals. The paper also comments on how public health professionals are uniquely placed to bring together these shared agendas and further the injury prevention cause. The World Health Organization is promoting a Safe System approach to road safety, in which the road system allows for human error while reducing the risk of death or serious injury. A key aspect of the Safe System program is a default 30 kph (20 mph) speed limit in residential areas. Although the current move towards lower speed limits is mainly motivated by the reduction of deaths and injuries, the desire to tackle obesity by promoting walking and cycling can also be accomplished by lower speed limits. The policy of lower speed limits also intersects with the sustainability agenda, which seeks to promote sustainable forms of travel and reduce carbon emissions. Lower speed limits would produce fewer pollutants due to smother driving and may shift some trips to alternative modes. Public health professionals are in an ideal position to facilitate shared agendas by bringing together the multi-agency and multi-professional groups required to promote lower speed limit policies. They can ensure that the issue is framed appropriately and use this framing in public and political advocacy.

Language

  • English

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01147934
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Jan 25 2010 8:07AM