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Restricting speed limits to 20 miles per hour (mph) in town and city centers doesn't seem to reduce road traffic collisions, casualties, or driver speed, finds a 3-year study of its rollout in one major capital city, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
But the scheme does seem to be associated with a significant reduction in traffic volume, the findings show.
The main reasons for reducing traffic speed in urban areas are to lessen the likelihood of a road traffic collision as well as the severity of associated casualties. At traffic speeds of 30–40 mph, the risks of pedestrian fatalities are 3.5–5.5 times greater than at speeds of 20–30 mph.
Consequently, schemes to reduce road traffic speed to 20 mph, or the equivalent 30 km per hour, have become increasingly popular in the UK and parts of Europe.
But there's not much evidence on their effectiveness, with previous studies producing mixed results, and few covering longer term outcomes, say the researchers.
medicalxpress.com
But the scheme does seem to be associated with a significant reduction in traffic volume, the findings show.
The main reasons for reducing traffic speed in urban areas are to lessen the likelihood of a road traffic collision as well as the severity of associated casualties. At traffic speeds of 30–40 mph, the risks of pedestrian fatalities are 3.5–5.5 times greater than at speeds of 20–30 mph.
Consequently, schemes to reduce road traffic speed to 20 mph, or the equivalent 30 km per hour, have become increasingly popular in the UK and parts of Europe.
But there's not much evidence on their effectiveness, with previous studies producing mixed results, and few covering longer term outcomes, say the researchers.
Speed limits of 20 miles per hour have seemingly little impact on crashes, casualties and driver speed
Restricting speed limits to 20 miles per hour (mph) in town and city centers doesn't seem to reduce road traffic collisions, casualties, or driver speed, finds a 3-year study of its rollout in one major capital city, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
