ACCEPTANCE OF SAFER SPEEDS

A key element of the Safer Journeys national road safety strategy is safer speeds. In most cases this means lower speeds, both urban and rural. This research considers the level of acceptance of reduced speed limits and forms part of a NZTA research project on the compliance and acceptance of safer speeds. Both aspects are important as higher levels of acceptance of reduced speed limits are likely to lead to higher levels of compliance. In the absence of acceptance of reduced speed limits then higher levels of speed enforcement and more expensive engineering treatments are likely to be required to get better compliance. The paper presents the results of a literature review and web survey on the acceptance of reduced speed limits, in both urban and rural areas in New Zealand. The acceptance web survey examines drivers understanding of the effects of speed on crash occurrence, including more severe crashes. It seeks to understand drivers current speed choices in both low and high speed areas and their attitudes to reducing speed limits in various speed environments. Drivers are also asked about the type of supporting information that is often provided with reduced speed limits, such as safer speed areas, schools and high crash areas signage, and whether this will encourage them to slow down.