Speed limits up-accidents down.
Discussion
Higher speed limits result in fewer accidents
Traffic authorities almost don't dare admit it, but the few stretches of Norwegian highway with new 100-kilometer-an-hour speed limits have fewer accidents than those with lower limits. The fact that they're all divided four-lane freeways probably also has something to do with it.
Norway's new 100-KPH speed limits have led to fewer accidents.
PHOTO: INGAR STORFJELL
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In some cases, however, four-lane freeways that earlier had 90-KPH limits are now seeing fewer accidents after the speed limit was raised to 100-KPH.
"We think drivers drive better and more steadily at limits they themselves are more satisfied with," Finn Harald Amundsen of the state highway department told newspaper Aftenposten. "There's less accelerating and braking."
The four-lane highways also cut the threat of the head-on collisions that occur on so many Norwegian two-lane highways, when impatient motorists try to pass slower drivers.
Until recently, Norway's maximum speed limit was 90-KPH (54 miles per hour), while most highways remain at 80-KPH (48-MPH). That's low by international standards, given the standard 65 MPH limits in the US and no limits at all on some roads in Germany. In neighboring Sweden, many highways have 110-KPH speed limits.
Only three stretches of Norwegian highway now are posted at 100-KPH: the E6 freeway south of Oslo towards the Swedish border, E6 north of Oslo towards the airport at Gardermoen and E18 south of Oslo between Drammen and Toensberg. Officials also soon plan to raise the limit to 100-KPH on the heavily trafficked E18 between Asker and Drammen.
Aftenposten's Norwegian reporter
Geir Salvesen
Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund
Traffic authorities almost don't dare admit it, but the few stretches of Norwegian highway with new 100-kilometer-an-hour speed limits have fewer accidents than those with lower limits. The fact that they're all divided four-lane freeways probably also has something to do with it.
Norway's new 100-KPH speed limits have led to fewer accidents.
PHOTO: INGAR STORFJELL
RELATED ARTICLES
Police seize 10,000 drivers' licenses - 07.01.03
Summer traffic deaths soar - 18.07.02
In some cases, however, four-lane freeways that earlier had 90-KPH limits are now seeing fewer accidents after the speed limit was raised to 100-KPH.
"We think drivers drive better and more steadily at limits they themselves are more satisfied with," Finn Harald Amundsen of the state highway department told newspaper Aftenposten. "There's less accelerating and braking."
The four-lane highways also cut the threat of the head-on collisions that occur on so many Norwegian two-lane highways, when impatient motorists try to pass slower drivers.
Until recently, Norway's maximum speed limit was 90-KPH (54 miles per hour), while most highways remain at 80-KPH (48-MPH). That's low by international standards, given the standard 65 MPH limits in the US and no limits at all on some roads in Germany. In neighboring Sweden, many highways have 110-KPH speed limits.
Only three stretches of Norwegian highway now are posted at 100-KPH: the E6 freeway south of Oslo towards the Swedish border, E6 north of Oslo towards the airport at Gardermoen and E18 south of Oslo between Drammen and Toensberg. Officials also soon plan to raise the limit to 100-KPH on the heavily trafficked E18 between Asker and Drammen.
Aftenposten's Norwegian reporter
Geir Salvesen
Aftenposten English Web Desk
Nina Berglund
One day perhaps...........
I thrashed a hired Transit through Norway a few years back: as he says above, 56mph everywhere. Trouble was, I had a ferry to catch, so it was foot down and to hell with it. I drove for 10 hours with one 15 minute break and still only caught the boat with 27 minutes to spare. Apart from the towns and villages, I went as fast as I could cane it. The scariest thing was being behind an artic that decided to overtake the artic in front. This was on a sweeping righthand bend about a mile long, with a mountain on the left and a cliff drop on the right. Coming the other way were two more artics. The second of them pulled out to overtake the first... 
The world's biggest game of chicken!
Anyway, I saw no Police on the whole trip, and people moved over to let me pass on even the narrowest road.
I'd like to do it again, but in a TVR...
However, the landscape in general IMHO doesn't lend itself to too many dual-carriageways, as I'd guess there isn't the traffic to justify it once you get more than a few miles from Oslo.
Ian
The world's biggest game of chicken! Anyway, I saw no Police on the whole trip, and people moved over to let me pass on even the narrowest road.
I'd like to do it again, but in a TVR...
However, the landscape in general IMHO doesn't lend itself to too many dual-carriageways, as I'd guess there isn't the traffic to justify it once you get more than a few miles from Oslo.
Ian
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