1. Home
  2. TRID
  3. View Record
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

THE EFFECT OF THE 70 KM/H SPEED LIMIT ON ROAD ACCIDENTS

70-GRAENSENS EFFEKT PA TRAFIKOLYCKOR

On the 1st of June 1971 a general speed limit of 70 km/h was introduced on roads outside Urban Areas in Sweden. This investigation deals with the effects of this limit on both accidents and speeds. The study covers the period from the 1st of June 1971 to the 31st of May 1972, and the number of accidents on the 70 km/h roads during this period was compared to the number of accidents on the same roads for the corresponding period during the years 1970-71 when the speed limit was 90 km/h. Also the accident rate on roads where the speed limit of 90 km/h remained unchanged was studied. The number of accidents was reduced on roads for which the speed limit was changed from 90 to 70 km/h. On national and county main roads the total number of accidents was reduced by 18% whereas on other county roads the number was reduced by 1.5%. The reduction in the number of personal injury accidents was larger than that for property damage accidents. On roads where the speed limit of 90 km/h remained unchanged the number of accidents had increased. The speeds were significantly lower during the 70 km/h period. The average speed was reduced by 8-10 km/h on the best roads and by 5.7 km/h on poorer roads. /TRRL/

  • Corporate Authors:

    Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute

    Drottning Kristinas Vaeg 25
    S-11428 Stockholm,   Sweden 
  • Authors:
    • Roosmark, P-O
    • Nilsson, G
  • Publication Date: 1973

Language

  • Swedish

Media Info

  • Features: Figures; Tables;
  • Pagination: 60 p.

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00083132
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
  • Report/Paper Numbers: Report 24 R&D Rpt.
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: May 1 1975 12:00AM