Urban Speed Limits- the need for uniform action in the N.T. Presentation to PHAA(NT) 2008 AGM

Urban Speed Limits- the need for uniform action in the N.T. The evidence base The benefits The national strategy The action needed

The Evidence Base The faster you drive, the longer it takes to stop-the harder you hit. Average reaction time is 1.5 seconds. Braking distance is reduced by 10 metres if travelling at 50km/h rather than 60km/h in dry conditions

Stopping distance is made up of 4 parts HUMAN HUMAN VEHICLE PERCEPTION + REACTION + REACTION + BRAKING REACTION TIME REACTION DISTANCE+ During this time the vehicle will pass through …. +BRAKING TIME = BRAKING DISTANCE=

A child runs onto the road 45 m ahead of you while you are travelling in 60 km/h zone. You brake hard. NOTE: Road is dry, you have a modern vehicle with good brakes and tyres. Reaction time used in calculations is 1.5 seconds.

Wet surface

Small changes in speed have large changes on injury and fatality

These change are very dramatic in accidents involving pedestrians

Impact of 50km/h limits in urban areas NSW- crashes down 25.3% (262 actual crashes) Qld- 18% reduction in fatal crashes, 8% reduction in causality crashes VIC 12% reduction in casualty crashes (pedestrian casualty 25-40%) WA 21% reduction in casualty (51% pedestrian) TAS 89 fewer causality crashes SA 20% reduction in casualty crashes

Simple easy cost effective A relatively straight froward and cost effective speed management measure involves reducing speed limits Reduced speed is likely to bring about a reduction in average travel speed and have a positive impact on both the number of accidents and accident outcome severity. Archer, N. Fotheringham, M. Symmons & B. Corben Monash University Accident Research Centre January 2008:i

Other Benefits Other secondary benefits are also derived including: reduced fuel and vehicle operating costs and significant reductions in vehicle emissions and noise. …..reducing urban speeds is only likely to have a marginal impact on travel time. Archer, N. Fotheringham, M. Symmons & B. Corben Monash University Accident Research Centre January 2008:i

Other issues Speed paradox- design speed often has greater influence on drivers than speed limit. Measures that can effect speed- Road design Regulation enforcement Social values related to speeding- being held responsible Role modelling- vehicle advertising Lack of knowledge about speed and relationship to accident- real information. Vehicle technology Age, health and attitude of driver

National Strategy The National Road Safety Strategy 2001–2010 aims to reduce the annual number of road deaths per 100,000 population by 40 per cent to no more than 5.6 by December (NT currently 25) Vigorous action is required in 2007 and 2008 by all jurisdictions to achieve a major step-down in road deaths: to get back on track towards the 2010 National Road Safety Strategy target, and to provide a basis for continuing progress beyond This will involve concurrent short and longer term actions in several areas: – education and enforcement measures addressing road user behaviour, with speed management as an important priority – improving the safety of roads and roadsides – accelerating the introduction of vehicles with improved safety systems.

Action areas for 2007– Safer Speeds Implement best practice speed management incorporating consistent speed zoning, improved enforcement, public awareness campaigns, ‘anytime, anywhere’ enforcement and selectively-reduced speed zones. Implement a review of criteria for setting speed limits that considers a safe system/harm minimisation perspective in setting limits. Examine the possibility of developing a national campaign on the risks of low-level speeding.

What needs to be done Change in social acceptance Regional evidence Coalition New regulatory system

references Archer, J., Fotheringham, N., Symmons, M. & Corben, B (2008) The Impact of lowered speed limits in urban/metropolitan areas. Monash University Accident Research Centre Rpt No accessed 25 September Fleiter, J. & Watson, B. (2007) The speed paradox: the misalignment between driver attitudes and speeding behaviour. Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-QUT) paper presented at the 2005 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, November accessed 25 September Australian Transport Council (2007) National Road Safety Action Plan Auburn and Parramatta City Councils (2005) Stopping Distance df accessed 9 October df Richter, E., Berman, T. Ben-David, F. & Ben-David, G. (2006) Speed, Road Injury and Public Health. Annual review of Public Health (27) pp