Government must reduce speed limit in urban areas to 30km/h - Urban expert

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Government must reduce speed limit in urban areas to 30km/h - Urban expert

The government should drop the speed limit in South Africa’s urban areas to help reduce the large number of pedestrian fatalities.

This is according to Open Streets urban designer Kirsten Wilkins, who recently spoke about pedestrian safety in the country on CapeTalk. The discussion followed the release of government’s Easter traffic statistics.

There were 235 fatalities on South Africa’s roads during the 2021 Easter period, of which around 35% were pedestrians.

 

[ProfA]

Strange that the solution to pedestrian safety isn't that pedestrians should open their eyes and watch out for those two ton objects that are supposed to use the roads.

 

[Neuk_]

Strange that the solution to pedestrian safety isn't that pedestrians should open their eyes and watch out for those two ton objects that are supposed to use the roads.

Strange that the solution to the problem is to reduce the speed limit that most ignore anyway.

In addition, most SA drivers ignore stop signs, yield signs, pedestrian crossings, etc. as well.

 

[etienne_marais]

Jaywalking must be a contributing factor

 

[Dan C]

I agree, these pedestrians run too fast.

 

[Pineapple Smurf]

Government must reduce speed limit in urban areas to 30km/h - Urban expert

The government should drop the speed limit in South Africa’s urban areas to help reduce the large number of pedestrian fatalities.

This is according to Open Streets urban designer Kirsten Wilkins, who recently spoke about pedestrian safety in the country on CapeTalk. The discussion followed the release of government’s Easter traffic statistics.

There were 235 fatalities on South Africa’s roads during the 2021 Easter period, of which around 35% were pedestrians.

235 deaths is nothing
Every year it is normally 1235 deaths.

Last year doesnt count coz we were all in Level 5 lockdown

So the figures have dropped to a quarter or less deaths and now government wants to drop speed from 60km/h to 30km/h

viva ANC

 

[Enzo Matrix]

This expert is a moron - expert

 

[AstroTurf]

If only that would make a difference.

The solution is pavements everywhere and stiff fines for jay walking.

 

[Johand]

They can change the law as much as they want but what is the point if enforcement of current laws are lacking?

Anyway - dropping the speed limit also needs to take into account what the road network was designed to handle. Sure the can drop the speed limit if they build 2x the number of roads or remove half the cars.

I would also like to know how many pedestrian deaths are due to intoxication, jaywalking, pedestrians on highways etc.

Also - I think we can go much further by enforcing the current laws around pedestrian right - of-way. Turning over a pedestrian crossing is terrible because the pedestrians are deery eye and not crossing because cars will drive over them. Trying to give them right of way then just becomes confusing for everybody.

 

[ShaunSA]

Why 30 Kirsten? If we make it 10 there will be practically no accidents

Or better yet ban all vehicles and zero accidents!

 

[ShaunSA]

This expert is a moron - expert

Kirsten is an unapologetic advocate for social justice and believes that appropriate urban design response is birthed from empathy.

Kirsten Wilkins | CreativeMornings/Cape Town

Meet and greet upstairs at the Friends of Design Academy for a complimentary coffee and breakfast followed by a 20 min talk.

creativemornings.com

 

[spiff]

educate the pedestrian first! like don't cross the road unless at a robot or pedestrian crossing - dumbass!

I can't recall how many times I seen people walking / jogging on the road with a perfectly paved unobstructed empty pavement.

 

[Gtx Gaming]

Speed does not kill, its coming to sudden stand still thats get you!

 

[etienne_marais]

Let's just spend a little more on street signs and accompanying administration then all will be fine

 

[Gazg]

You can drop it down to 10kph, wont make an ounce of difference.
Rather get the driver's that have no clue on the road, off the road.

 

[C4Cat]

Why 30 Kirsten? If we make it 10 there will be practically no accidents

Or better yet ban all vehicles and zero accidents!

“Traffic data and studies around the world tells us that if you are hit by a car at 60km/h as a pedestrian, your chance of surviving is practically zero.”

“One of the important United Nations road safety solutions is to call for a reduction in speed limits in urban areas,” Wilkins said.

“[This] is the easiest and most effective way to start getting ahead of the problem from the point of view of what government can do,”

She said the United Nations was calling for urban speed limits of 30km/h, something she wished the South African government would support.

Wilkins advised citizens to reach out to their ward councillor in instances where they have identified particular areas with speed limits which are particularly dangerous to pedestrians, such as a busy intersections or outside a school.

 

[Rickster]

Twats in the right hand lane of a highway are already snailing at 100KM/h.

Should be illegal to drive slower than 115 in the fast lane.

 

[KikzAzz]

And how many pedestrians were killed on highways where they are not supposed to be?

 

[Binary_Bark]

Strange that the solution to pedestrian safety isn't that pedestrians should open their eyes and watch out for those two ton objects that are supposed to use the roads.

Strange that the solution to the problem is to reduce the speed limit that most ignore anyway.

In addition, most SA drivers ignore stop signs, yield signs, pedestrian crossings, etc. as well.

It does not help that the pedestrians ignore these same rules themselves, they will cross a highway right next to the foot bridge, see the robot is green for cars but continue to walk across the road, crossing the road 1m away from a pedestrian crossing.
This is a thing where the pedestrians think a 2-5ton hunk of steel must go around them.

 

[Binary_Bark]

And how many pedestrians were killed on highways where they are not supposed to be?

exactly, seen here many times people crossing the N2 right next to the crossing bridge and then cry and wonder why they got hit by a car, the idiocy of some people is beyond me