megan collier

Acceptance of Safe SpeedsDr Shane Turner

Shaun BosherMegan Collier

AITPM Conference 2014

Safer Journeys

Safe system approach

New Zealand’s Roads

• Rural undivided two lane road, 100km/h

New Zealand’s Roads

• Residential Street, 50km/h

New Zealand’s Roads

• Shopping street, 50km/h

What can be done now?

• Not affordable to upgrade all roads in the short to medium term

• Rely on speed management interventions

• Complemented with increased enforcement, focussed education and low-cost changes to the road environment.

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Study Stages

• Stage 1 – Literature Review (Monash)

• Stage 2 – Speed Compliance at Existing NZ Sites

• Stage 3 – On-line Acceptance Survey

• Stage 4 – Speed Compliance Case Studies

Presentation will focus more on Acceptance of Safer Speeds

Literature review

There is minimal research internationally on the compliance and acceptance of lowering speed limits

European (Sweden and Netherlands) research indicates greater acceptance of lower speed limits in urban residential streets, rather than on higher speed roads

Australian research indicates that there is some acceptance of lower speed limits on some rural roads - gravel roads and some sealed 2-lane rural roads

Literature review

• A study of 80km/h rural roads in the Netherlands demonstrated the importance of ensuring road characteristics are a better match for driver’s perception of appropriate speed limits

• Road curvature and sight distance are strongly correlated with speed perception (and perceived risk!)

• The researchers concluded that although there would never be a speed limit on a particular road section that would be credible for all drivers, there would be a speed limit that would be more credible for everyone

Literature review

• Studies by the Swedish Road Administration showed that, while people often disagreed with lower speed limits, a significant proportion of respondents did travel more slowly subsequent to the changes

Acceptance Survey

• What are the attitudes to:– speed limits– reductions in both urban and rural speeds

• What factors influence acceptance

About the respondents

Age groups of respondents

Where do they drive?

Areas where most trips undertaken as driver

What we asked them…

Does safety influence your choice of speed?

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Towns, built-up or urbanareas

Rural & urban areas

Safety influence by driver experience

Does safety influence your choice of speed?

Safety influence by age group

If everyone drove a little slower then the roads would be?

If all drivers drove a little slower, then the roads would be

If drivers slow down, or speed limits are lowered then fewer crashes will happen.Do you agree?

If all drivers slow down then fewer crashes will happen

Lowering speed limits would reduce the number of crashes on our roads

If drivers slow down, then people will be less seriously injured if a crash happens.Do you agree?

Lowering speed limits would result in people being less seriously injured if

a crash does occur

If drivers slow down, then people will be less seriously injured in a crash

What speed do you travel on a 100km/h road with no congestion?

Typical Travel Speed on Rural Roads

What do you think if the speed limit on a 100km/h road was lowered to 90km/h or 80km/h?

Lower to 90km/h Lower to 80km/h

What speed do you travel on a 50km/h street in a busy shopping area?

Typical Travel Speed on a Shopping Street

What do you think if the speed limit on this street was lowered to 40km/h or 30km/h?

Lower to 40km/h Lower to 30km/h

What speed do you travel on a residential street with a speed limit of 50km/h?

Typical Travel Speed on a Residential Street

What do you think if the speed limit on this street was lowered to 40km/h?

Would this sign have helped you slow down more than you might normally?

Do you think if speed signs had extra wording it would help you slow down more than normal?

• High Crash Zone• Children Crossing• Busy Shopping Street

Summary

• There is minimal research internationally on the compliance and acceptance on lowering speed limits compared with standard speed limits

• High level of understanding that lower speeds results in a lower risk of serious injuries and fatalities

• Good support for reducing speed limits in urban shopping streets at least to 40km/h

• Drivers are more likely to slow down if there is supporting information

• Likely that the attitudes to reducing speed limits is similar in Australia

What next?

• Case Studies

• Consider implementing lower speed limits in urban shopping streets

• Trial the use of speed limit signage with supplementary information