Should we have higher speed limits

[Nanfeishen]

Interesting article from Australia on raising speed limits

Speed, it is said, remains the number one causal factor of road fatalities in Australia. It plays a part in about 40 per cent of all road deaths and costs the community billions of dollars each year, policy makers insist.

And yet, a controversial derestricted speed limit trial on Northern Territory highways hasn’t amounted to a single fatality or serious injury in the seven months since being opened, Fairfax Media can reveal. The Northern Territory government is now considering extending the trial, such is its provisional success.

Originally, the 12-month open speed trial was limited to a 200km section of the Stuart Highway north of Alice Springs.

“So far we’ve seen a terrific response by the public on that piece of road,” Northern Territory transport minister Peter Styles said. “We haven’t got anything confirmed for an extension of the trial just yet, but the results so far are pleasing.

“Since February 1 there have been no deaths or serious injuries on the 200km stretch whatsoever. There have been two infringement notices for people who have driven through a work zone at ridiculous speeds and there was a rollover of an unregistered car that was later attributed to drink driving and not speed.

“On all accounts, Territory motorists have been responsible and obeyed the road rules since the trial began.”

Open speed limits were abolished by the former Territory Labor Government in 2006 and replaced by a maximum limit of 130km/h. More people died on Territory roads (307) in the six years after the change than in the six years before (292) when speed limits were not restricted.

There is no disputing that speed contributes to traffic accidents. Withstanding the extremities – such as significantly lower traffic density and distances between urban areas - the Territory case study provides interesting fodder to the debate on whether to increase speed limits in other areas of Australia.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/should-we-have-higher-speed-limits-20140807-100xfs.html

6 months with no fatality on a derestricted road :wtf: , that pretty amazing.

So could it work here on certain roads ?.

 

[HavocXphere]

So could it work here on certain roads ?.

Try not to hit a pothole at 200kmh.

It can work, but kinda assumes that you've got road worthy cars, good roads and well trained drivers that didn't buy their license. So I'd rather not see them try that here.

I actually think our 120 is not a bad number...its just all these random 60 signs they put up near highway construction zones that pss me off. Only a fraction of the people follow them & then you end up with a dangerous mix of 60k drivers and 120k drivers on the same piece of road.

 

[nand]

This is the same argument about guns. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

 

[Chevron]

Why is it surprising? An open road with high visibility is perfect for this.

It's inattentive/drunk drivers that cause accidents. Not speed.

 

[InternetSwag]

Personally I want higher speed limits on Koeburg Road, but with so many people making U-Turns and so many people turning into the road I can see why the limit is 60. It just sucks going 60 on that long road when there is few cars.

On another note though, it depends, does Australia have a better transportation infrastructure than us? Perhaps they have safer roads, better drivers in general. As someone who drives through Maitland and Joe Slovo at least 3 times a week, I have seen my fair share of blatant life threatening driving.

One time in Maitland I saw a taxi overtake another taxi and then slam on his brakes, the doorman jumped out and started hitting on the windows yelling something I didn't understand, but the taxi just reversed and drove off and they chased after each other. This was at like 8pm while that road was still fairly busy.

Well story time over, I'm sure that, in small increments, we can safely increase the speed limit on the N1. Most people go 130+ in the right lane any ways.

 

[Nanfeishen]

On another note though, it depends, does Australia have a better transportation infrastructure than us? Perhaps they have safer roads, better drivers in general.

From the comments on the article, - sound familiar

The amount of people that sit in the right lane of the M1 (former F3) doing whatever speed they please under the speed limit for no apparent reason is ridiculous! Recently I witnessed an L plater in the right hand lane doing 80km/h in a 110km/h zone!

Keep left unless overtaking means, ummm, get out of the right lane unless you are passing a vehicle. It's fairly simple, and the drivers of Europe seem to have mastered it well. Maybe people here could too, instead of using their car as a "holier-than-thou-traffic-regulator"

YES, change it. Because then it might make all the twits who drive 20kms under the limit, drive the current speed limit!
Nothing creates traffic like a slow drivers (and no, I’m not advocating excessive speeding, but geez, try and get the needle at least near to the speed limit people, on motorways and normal roads)

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/should-we-have-higher-speed-limits-20140807-100xfs.html

 

[Brenden_E]

The issue here is the roads and drivers are unpredictable. Last night coming back from a movie I smacked a huge arse pothole. If I was going 200km/h I'd be in hospital now.

 

[HavocXphere]

The issue here is the roads and drivers are unpredictable. Last night coming back from a movie I smacked a huge arse pothole. If I was going 200km/h I'd be in hospital now.

Or the current favorite - putting up huge unmarked tar colour speedbumps overnight. Hitting one of those at night is not fun...

 

[Chevron]

I like this part of the article:

But what really seperates European from Australian road users is driver behaviour. It is the main factor that makes high speeds work on the autobahn, thanks mainly to a combination of awareness and courtesy sadly absent on Australian roads.

Strong lane discipline sees very few people edging over lines that are often ignored locally, and the majority of German drivers understand that decent spaces must be maintained between cars as a safety buffer. Drivers on the autobahn stay out of the fast lane unless overtaking slower cars, and are keenly aware of what’s going on in their mirrors, promptly moving over to defer to faster vehicles.

 

[Johnatan56]

Only thing while driving from Austria through Germany to Gent, was that there are so many trucks, so you got slow trucks overtaken by slightly faster cars, that block the way for faster drivers. Nice thing was, highways had 3+ lanes on each side.

 

[FNfal]

If the idiots on the road learned to keep left and pass right this would work , but not 200 KPH , most people here just dont have the driving skill for that or the mind set .
AFIK the speed limit used to be 70 MPH (140) before .

 

[Stokstert]

AFIK the speed limit used to be 70 MPH (140) before .

70MPH = 112 Km/h

You want the limit lower?

 

[BigAl-sa]

70MPH = 112 Km/h

You want the limit lower?

Yip, to accommodate the texters on the freeway. It's damn scary to see them in the rh lane playing with their phones at 140+...

 

[MKFrost]

My opinion, lift it to 130 or 140 BUT....

Start enforcing three basic things,

a) Keep left pass right,
b) Minimum speed limits [if you cannot do at lest 60/80 you do not belong on the road]
c) Roadworthy checks on a regular basis on all such routes.

 

[Rickster]

I wouldnt mind 200KM/h on some sections of the N3 to/from Durban.

 

[Chevron]

My opinion, lift it to 130 or 140 BUT....

Start enforcing three basic things,

a) Keep left pass right,
b) Minimum speed limits [if you cannot do at lest 60/80 you do not belong on the road]
c) Roadworthy checks on a regular basis on all such routes.

Throw out k53 and include principles from advanced driving courses.

 

[Paul_S]

I'd prefer if the limit was reduced to 100km/h for the following reasons.

1. South African's have no idea of what distance it takes to stop from 120km/h in an emergency. They drive with totally inadequate following distances.
2. We have far too many people and animals crossing roads at any time of the day and night. You won't stop within 20 meters if you're traveling at 120km/h.
3. There are far too many vehicles on our roads which are not road worthy and cannot perform emergency breaking or evasive manoeuvres safely.
4. There are too many people driving vehicles who don't know where the outside boundaries of their vehicles are or how to handle a vehicle properly.
5. We have too many drivers breaking the rules of the road or doing stupid and dangerous things with no regard to the safety of others.

 

[supersunbird]

Have to agree with Paul_S (but I'd say keep it at 120 where suitable) and add:

6. There are no empty roads in Gauteng adequate for "no speed limit". The highways always has other cars on it (yes, I sometimes drive at 3am on N1, R21 and there are enough cars about) and the other quite roads aren't adequate (no lighting, poor markings, bad surfaces or too busy during daytime and that's just the N14 being described!)

I love the road to Warmbaths now. 8 year ago if you drove there idiots came flying past at over 160km/h, making it difficult overtaking trucks and other slower traffic if you are doing a legal 120 (GPS wise), now rarely anyone over 120. They trap people and pull them over.

 

[LaraC]

I'm also of the view that the speed limits should remain as it is.
There are to many reckless and inconsiderate drivers on our roads.

 

[Garson007]

The CT part of the N1 is in practice without speed limit as there aren't any cameras anywhere. I guess they've silently decided the traffic is bad enough as it is.