Speed may be restricted on rural roads.
Discussion
Times Online said:
Rural 60mph limit may be reduced in bid to save lives
By Ben Webster
A review is ordered as figures show the most deadly routes
SPEED limits on all rural roads are to be reviewed in the light of figures that show motorists are 3½ times more likely to die driving in the countryside than in towns.
The Government will order local authorities to reconsider the limits on all roads this month, particularly rural ones, where 63 per cent of road deaths happen.
Ministers believe that the default 60mph on rural roads is too high in many cases, but they also want the limit raised on some 30mph and 40mph roads, where the risk to pedestrians and cyclists is low.
Figures from the Department for Transport show that of the 1,663 car drivers and passengers killed in 2004, some 1,133 died on rural roads. The death rate on such roads was 0.7 per 100 million km driven and on urban roads, 0.2. Motorways were the safest roads, with a death rate of only 0.1.
Brake, the road safety charity, is pressing for the speed limit on twisting, narrow rural roads to drop from 60mph to 30mph or 40mph.
A survey published today by the insurer Direct Line found that three in four motorists thought the 60mph speed limit on rural roads was too high. More than a quarter admitted breaking the limit, mostly because they thought there was less traffic and fewer pedstrians on rural roads The survey of 2,600 drivers by YouGov also found that: two in three drivers did not know the speed limit for rural roads; more than half thought there should be more speed signs in the country; and more than 60 per cent said that learner drivers should have compulsory lessons in country driving.
Direct Line also called for the standard rural road speed limit to be cut to 40mph. A spokeswoman said: “In towns you are much more likely to be involved in a rear-end shunt or little bump or scrape, whereas head-on collisions or accidents involving animals straying on to the road are much more likely on country roads.”
A study by the department in 2004 found that 40 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women believed mistakenly that because rural roads were quieter there was less chance of crashing on them.
Twenty-one per cent of men thought driving fast on rural roads late at night was safe because they could see oncoming cars’ headlights. Andrew Howard, head of AA road safety, said: “People who regularly use rural roads can slip into passive mode and be caught out by the unexpected.”
The 12 roads with the highest crash rates last year were all single-carriageway “A” roads in rural areas, an AA study found. The worst was the A682 in Lancashire, between the M65 and the A65, where 23 crashes in three years left people dead or seriously injured. The AA study described the road as undulating and lined with hedges and mature trees, with narrow verges and several blind brows.
A spokesman for the department said that setting more appropriate speed limits would encourage drivers to have more respect for them.
“Local authorities will be required to review limits on all roads by 2011 but we are not going to prescribe what they should do. They need to look at the engineering and safety record and if circumstances have changed,” he said.
COUNTRY CODE
On hills, the vehicle going downhill should give way — unless it is a lorry
Drivers on narrow lanes must be able to stop in half the distance that can be seen along the road
When approaching a blind corner a driver should imagine that a cyclist has fallen round the bend
On meeting a vehicle on a narrow road the driver who is the shorter distance from a passing place should reverse. But remember that van drivers have limited rear visibility
Source: Institute of Advanced Motorists
By Ben Webster
A review is ordered as figures show the most deadly routes
SPEED limits on all rural roads are to be reviewed in the light of figures that show motorists are 3½ times more likely to die driving in the countryside than in towns.
The Government will order local authorities to reconsider the limits on all roads this month, particularly rural ones, where 63 per cent of road deaths happen.
Ministers believe that the default 60mph on rural roads is too high in many cases, but they also want the limit raised on some 30mph and 40mph roads, where the risk to pedestrians and cyclists is low.
Figures from the Department for Transport show that of the 1,663 car drivers and passengers killed in 2004, some 1,133 died on rural roads. The death rate on such roads was 0.7 per 100 million km driven and on urban roads, 0.2. Motorways were the safest roads, with a death rate of only 0.1.
Brake, the road safety charity, is pressing for the speed limit on twisting, narrow rural roads to drop from 60mph to 30mph or 40mph.
A survey published today by the insurer Direct Line found that three in four motorists thought the 60mph speed limit on rural roads was too high. More than a quarter admitted breaking the limit, mostly because they thought there was less traffic and fewer pedstrians on rural roads The survey of 2,600 drivers by YouGov also found that: two in three drivers did not know the speed limit for rural roads; more than half thought there should be more speed signs in the country; and more than 60 per cent said that learner drivers should have compulsory lessons in country driving.
Direct Line also called for the standard rural road speed limit to be cut to 40mph. A spokeswoman said: “In towns you are much more likely to be involved in a rear-end shunt or little bump or scrape, whereas head-on collisions or accidents involving animals straying on to the road are much more likely on country roads.”
A study by the department in 2004 found that 40 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women believed mistakenly that because rural roads were quieter there was less chance of crashing on them.
Twenty-one per cent of men thought driving fast on rural roads late at night was safe because they could see oncoming cars’ headlights. Andrew Howard, head of AA road safety, said: “People who regularly use rural roads can slip into passive mode and be caught out by the unexpected.”
The 12 roads with the highest crash rates last year were all single-carriageway “A” roads in rural areas, an AA study found. The worst was the A682 in Lancashire, between the M65 and the A65, where 23 crashes in three years left people dead or seriously injured. The AA study described the road as undulating and lined with hedges and mature trees, with narrow verges and several blind brows.
A spokesman for the department said that setting more appropriate speed limits would encourage drivers to have more respect for them.
“Local authorities will be required to review limits on all roads by 2011 but we are not going to prescribe what they should do. They need to look at the engineering and safety record and if circumstances have changed,” he said.
COUNTRY CODE
On hills, the vehicle going downhill should give way — unless it is a lorry
Drivers on narrow lanes must be able to stop in half the distance that can be seen along the road
When approaching a blind corner a driver should imagine that a cyclist has fallen round the bend
On meeting a vehicle on a narrow road the driver who is the shorter distance from a passing place should reverse. But remember that van drivers have limited rear visibility
Source: Institute of Advanced Motorists
3 in 4 "people" find the limit too high. Who did they survey ? Badgers ?... i was insure for years with them, never crashed nor claimed and yet they sure didn't phone me !
"A spokesman for the department said that setting more appropriate speed limits would encourage drivers to have more respect for them."
Dead right
20mph round tight bends and outside schools etc
30 mph round moderate bends
60 mph on slightly twisty bits
120mph on long clear straights
Appropriate speed for the road and the conditions NOT just blanket restrictions.
Dead right
20mph round tight bends and outside schools etc
30 mph round moderate bends
60 mph on slightly twisty bits
120mph on long clear straights
Appropriate speed for the road and the conditions NOT just blanket restrictions.
Nowt in that article to suggest most of those deaths were caused by inappropriate speed. More likely it is down to meeting a contractor in a tractor and trailor that's coming the other way whilst driving like they're in a car.
Narrow twisty lanes have their own speed limit dictated by grip, which on a lot of the roads round here for instance is low because of the very uneven and badly pot-holed surface. I note that a lot of tight turns are not signposted, or when they are they have been allowed to be obscured by vegetation which is a safety issue, not a speed issue. At night, the edges of the road are barely visible thanks to no white edging or centre lines, which is especially nice in foggy conditions which can so often be found in narrow lanes.
Also, due to the fact that you will often find the country lanes full of 42mph drivers, you see a lot of frustration overtaking on the short straights which, on more than a few occasions I've seen, has almost led to crashes. I'm just waiting for the first to happen, and then read "Speeding driver killed on country road - won't someone think of the children!" in the local paper.
It's going to cost a pretty penny if they have to put up limit signs to cope with the varying severity of corners along a mile of a typical 'country road'. What is more likely is that they'll blanket limit a several mile-long stretch, regardless of the actual corners that it includes.
Narrow twisty lanes have their own speed limit dictated by grip, which on a lot of the roads round here for instance is low because of the very uneven and badly pot-holed surface. I note that a lot of tight turns are not signposted, or when they are they have been allowed to be obscured by vegetation which is a safety issue, not a speed issue. At night, the edges of the road are barely visible thanks to no white edging or centre lines, which is especially nice in foggy conditions which can so often be found in narrow lanes.
Also, due to the fact that you will often find the country lanes full of 42mph drivers, you see a lot of frustration overtaking on the short straights which, on more than a few occasions I've seen, has almost led to crashes. I'm just waiting for the first to happen, and then read "Speeding driver killed on country road - won't someone think of the children!" in the local paper.
It's going to cost a pretty penny if they have to put up limit signs to cope with the varying severity of corners along a mile of a typical 'country road'. What is more likely is that they'll blanket limit a several mile-long stretch, regardless of the actual corners that it includes.
johnFairfield said:
"A spokesman for the department said that setting more appropriate speed limits would encourage drivers to have more respect for them."
Dead right
20mph round tight bends and outside schools etc
30 mph round moderate bends
60 mph on slightly twisty bits
120mph on long clear straights
Appropriate speed for the road and the conditions NOT just blanket restrictions.
Dead right
20mph round tight bends and outside schools etc
30 mph round moderate bends
60 mph on slightly twisty bits
120mph on long clear straights
Appropriate speed for the road and the conditions NOT just blanket restrictions.
Although your post appears slightly in jest, the "speed limits" you propose are exactly what I wouldn't want - I don't need somebody to tell me I "MUST NOT" exceed a speed around a tight corner, if I approach a tight bend, I'll slow to a safe speed. Unnecessary limits are part of the problem - we've taken the "thinking" out of driving, so people don't slow for bends unless there's four hundred chevrons and "rumble strips" on the approach, with flashing lights on signposts...
Ah bugger, the only place I can have fun is down windy country lanes.. And I certainly don't want to see lots of speed limit signs ruining the green and pleasant land. If people are too stupid to remember 60mph then Darwin is proved right anyway..
As above, I suspect this is the perfect excuse for more speed cameras, but I do not a lot of stuff has been said with no factual information, i.e. 23 accidents and some deaths/injuries in three years...
As above, I suspect this is the perfect excuse for more speed cameras, but I do not a lot of stuff has been said with no factual information, i.e. 23 accidents and some deaths/injuries in three years...
A tight set of corners next to me on a local A road has been the scene of many a car going off the road but rarely a fatality. In the last year or so in addition to the signs warning of the twisty road there have appeared offical looking signs directly below stating "40 MPH" I take it these are advisory (if a limit it's the wrong sign and you never come out of it)I don't have a problem with them as they are perhaps helpful to those unfamilliar with the bends, (all can be taken comfortably without dipping below 60mph & aggressivly to 80mph they are open with good visability & are even suitable for overtaking through, as indicated by the road markings)
We need to look at the long term view.
The government's stated intention is to move towards more Toll Motorways/Roads - where's the incentive for people to use them if they can travel almost as quickly up a good A road - Loss of revenue.
Reduce the limit on A/B/C roads, slap some cams up and make people use the new Toll Roads.
Wasn't there a case recently were no PFI could be found for a new Toll road and the M6 Toll is not making as much as forecast - they got to do something to force people off the 'Free' roads.
:rant:
The government's stated intention is to move towards more Toll Motorways/Roads - where's the incentive for people to use them if they can travel almost as quickly up a good A road - Loss of revenue.
Reduce the limit on A/B/C roads, slap some cams up and make people use the new Toll Roads.
Wasn't there a case recently were no PFI could be found for a new Toll road and the M6 Toll is not making as much as forecast - they got to do something to force people off the 'Free' roads.
:rant:
BigBob said:
We need to look at the long term view.
The government's stated intention is to move towards more Toll Motorways/Roads - where's the incentive for people to use them if they can travel almost as quickly up a good A road - Loss of revenue.
Reduce the limit on A/B/C roads, slap some cams up and make people use the new Toll Roads.
Wasn't there a case recently were no PFI could be found for a new Toll road and the M6 Toll is not making as much as forecast - they got to do something to force people off the 'Free' roads.
:rant:
The government's stated intention is to move towards more Toll Motorways/Roads - where's the incentive for people to use them if they can travel almost as quickly up a good A road - Loss of revenue.
Reduce the limit on A/B/C roads, slap some cams up and make people use the new Toll Roads.
Wasn't there a case recently were no PFI could be found for a new Toll road and the M6 Toll is not making as much as forecast - they got to do something to force people off the 'Free' roads.
:rant:
Whichever way we put it, it seems the general agreement is that this would be yet another excuse to part us with our hard earned.
There is no mention of drink driving, or overly tired drivers either which would require some proper police work. No, speed is to blame straight away !
Maybe I'm wrong...
Not having a pop at lorry drivers, but with just about all heavies adhering to the (daft) 40mph single carriageway limit we have a de-facto 40 limit anyway
The 1000 car drivers killed is tragic, but that many women die of breast cancer in a week! Put the effort into fighting cancer that is put into 'speed' and really save some lives!
The 1000 car drivers killed is tragic, but that many women die of breast cancer in a week! Put the effort into fighting cancer that is put into 'speed' and really save some lives!
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