New South Wales study indicates lower speed zones reduce deaths

A new study into 40km/h speed zones in New South Wales, Australia indicates they are reducing deaths and injuries in high pedestrian and traffic areas.
July 4, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

A new study into 40km/h speed zones in New South Wales, Australia indicates they are reducing deaths and injuries in high pedestrian and traffic areas.

The study, by the Centre for Road Safety, found there was a 33 per cent reduction in crashes causing serious injuries and deaths between 2005 and 2015, where 40 km/h zones had been introduced.

Crash data shows that over 6,300 people were injured or killed on local streets each year and that many of these crashes involve excessive or inappropriate speeds.

In permanent 40 km/h speed limits locations, the number of people killed went down from 12 in 2005 to one in 2015. The number of people seriously injured also dropped from 269 in 2005 to 203 in 2015.

The evaluation looked at locations from the High Pedestrian Activity Areas Program that combines 40km/h speed zones with pedestrian infrastructure like raised crossings and other traffic calming features.

Roads, Maritime and Freight Minister Melinda Pavey said the results show the 40 km/h speed zones help save lives and prevent devastating injuries.

“We are now looking to expand the rollout of these reduced speed zones around the state. The Centre for Road Safety will work with 6722 Roads and Maritime Services, focusing on locations with high pedestrian activity, especially around train stations, bus interchanges and shopping centres,” she said.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Report highlights cost effectiveness of crash reduction strategy
    November 21, 2017
    Local authorities in the UK needs an immediate injection of £200 million to tackle the high risk road sections, according to a new report from the Road Safety Foundation charity and Ageas UK. Called Cutting the Cost of Dangerous Roads, the report reveals that UK motorways and ‘A’ roads on the EuroRAP network make up 10% of the road network that contains half of all road deaths. It found that single carriageway ‘A’ roads have a risk factor seven times higher than motorways and nearly three times that of d
    Read More
  • Need for best practice enforcement standards
    February 3, 2012
    Leading systems suppliers discuss how recent events in Italy have affected the automated enforcement sector and how the situation might be remediated
    Read More
  • FTA says any speed limit must be properly enforced
    July 30, 2013
    In response to the announcement that average speed cameras are to be introduced on a stretch of the A9 in Scotland, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has said that any speed limit must be properly enforced. The decision to install the new average speed camera system which will run from Dunblane to Inverness follows an on-going review of evidence as well as careful consideration of the views of the A9 Safety Group – to which FTA has contributed on behalf of its members over the last year.
    Read More
  • Driverless vehicles will cause changes in society
    May 31, 2013
    Paul Godsmark gives his views on what the advent of autonomous vehicles would mean for the wider society. Further to your article ‘Driver not required…’ in the Jan/Feb edition of ITS International which gave some great background to autonomous road vehicle (ARVs), I feel that the bigger picture is needed to aid understanding. There is a ‘technology freight train’ heading our way that is going to transform our roadways but we don’t seem to be aware of it and, therefore, are in no hurry to react.
    Read More

Highlighted Content