Could increasing speed limits make some roads safer?

Burnsy2023 · 24 Nov 2013 at 20:22

So I saw this linked on another forum and thought it had some very interesting points:

Now despite the guy being Canadian, I think this is very relevant here and from my own personal view, I do feel that many limits are completely arbitrary. I'm a big advocate for evidence based decision making, but perhaps when the evidence is counter intuitive people just ignore it? So do you think it's time to re-evaluate the speed limit policy?

Burnsy2023 · 24 Nov 2013 at 20:27

Phil W said:
Speed limit is 70, people do 80-90. Speed limit changes to 80, people do 90-100. Its all relative. You'll always have *someone* that HAS to go faster.

If you listen to the video, there is some evidence that this is a fallacy. People drive what they feel is safe for the conditions. On a Mway, this may be 80 (and therefore currently illegal) and if the limit is raised, the speed won't increase for the majority of motorists.

Burnsy2023 · 25 Nov 2013 at 13:03

PMKeates said:
Hopefully we'll develop more of an overtaking culture if the limits are higher. I have no qualms about calmly overtaking in quiet 30/40 limits if someone is travelling unreasonably slowly.

Somehow I don't think your overtaking would be "calm" and I think your interpretation of what is unreasonably slow may be quite close to the actual speed limit.

Burnsy2023 · 25 Nov 2013 at 16:05

MikeTheNative said:
I can't see how raising the speed limit will make the roads safer, most accidents are caused by bad driving which will not change with increased speed limits.

So if the accident rate won't change, why not raise it?