FACTORS OF EDUCATIONAL VALUE FOR OBTAINING SAFE NIGHT DRIVING SPEEDS

THE PROBLEM OF SPEED LIMITS IS ALWAYS MORE OR LESS CONTROVERSIAL. FIRST IS THE MATTER OF CONVINCING THE LEGISLATOR WHO MUST ATTACK THE PROBLEM FROM THE LAYMAN'S POINT OF VIEW, SINCE HE IS USUALLY NOT A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, ALTHOUGH HE IS A LAW-MAKER. AFTER HE IS CONVINCED, AND A LAW IS PASSED, THE DRIVERS ON THE ROAD MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR THE REGULATION IN ORDER TO SECURE COMPLIANCE. IN IOWA, NIGHT ACCIDENTS HAD BUILT UP TO AN ALARMING EXTENT. THERE WERE ALSO MANY DAY ACCIDENTS UNDER THE BASIC SPEED LAW. IT WAS FELT THAT A SPEED LAW WITH STIPULATED LIMITS WAS DISIRABLE BUT IT SEEMED DIFFICULT TO SET UP SUFFICIENT PROOF TO SUPPORT SUCH A SPEED LAW FOR DAYTIME. CONSEQUENTLY IT WAS DECIDED TO CONCENTRATE ON A NIGHT SPEED LIMIT. FACTORS USED IN PUBLICIZING THE NEED FOR SUCH A MEASURE AND THE APPROACH MADE ARE DISCUSSED. COMPARISON OF 1955-56 WITH 298 NIGHT FATALITIES, AND 1956-57 WITH 260 FATALITIES WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH AND SEEMS TO SUPPORT THE REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING SUCH A LAW, AND THE METHODS USED IN GETTING IT PASSED. ANALYSIS OF THE BREAK-DOWN AND FACTORS EMPHASIZED ARE DISCUSSED. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/226/226-007.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 226, pp 62 - 64, 5 REF Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Swanson, Clifford O
  • Lauer, A R
• Publication Date: 1959

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 3p
• Monograph Title: Night visibility 1959
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 226
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash rates; Fatalities; Highway safety; Laws; Night; Prevention; Safety; Speed; Speed limits; Traffic regulations; Travelers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Speed laws; Traffic laws
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00220292
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 16 1994 12:00AM