How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia

<p dir="ltr">Speeding remains a major contributor to trauma on our roads, held to be a major factor in around one-third of fatal crashes and over 10 percent of all crashes (Bowie & Walz, 1994; Fildes & Lee, 1993). This study reviewed speed management strategies and key factor...

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Main Author: Jennifer Oxley (10057811) (author)
Other Authors: Bruce Corben (568684) (author)
Published: 2015
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author Jennifer Oxley (10057811)
author2 Bruce Corben (568684)
author2_role author
author_facet Jennifer Oxley (10057811)
Bruce Corben (568684)
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Jennifer Oxley (10057811)
Bruce Corben (568684)
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2015-11-12T09:00:00Z
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/How_do_drivers_choose_a_travel_speed_Implications_for_speed_management_strategies_in_Australia/27144465
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv CC BY 4.0
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Health sciences
Public health
Law and legal studies
Law in context
Speeding
Road Trauma
Fatal Crashes
Speed Management Strategies
Traffic Law
Driver Awareness
Police Enforcement
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Text
Journal contribution
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
text
contribution to journal
description <p dir="ltr">Speeding remains a major contributor to trauma on our roads, held to be a major factor in around one-third of fatal crashes and over 10 percent of all crashes (Bowie & Walz, 1994; Fildes & Lee, 1993). This study reviewed speed management strategies and key factors that should be considered through a comprehensive review of the literature. One of the most frequently used methods of managing travel speeds is the posted speed limit. The primary purpose of the speed limit is to advise drivers of the maximum reasonable and safe operating speed under favourable conditions, therefore considered to be a road safety measure. Further, speed limits are designed to be (i) related to crash risk, (ii) provide a reasonable basis for enforcement, (iii) fair in the context of traffic law, and (iv) accepted as reasonable by most road users. Traditional approaches to setting speed limits (e.g. engineering approach using the 85th percentile speed) are compared with an alternative view to setting speed limits: the Safe System approach. This approach requires that all aspects of the system work together for the safest possible outcome, with speed representing a critical component. The findings suggest that there are some inherent issues in traditional speed limit setting guidelines, particularly as drivers lack awareness of the true relationship between speed and road trauma, under-estimate crash and injury risk and over-estimate what is a safe speed, and that there is often a mismatch between environmental cues and speed limits. There are opportunities to review and strengthen speed management policies and practices with a view to creating environments that promote safe behaviour rather than relying on drivers/riders to decide what is a safe speed, complemented by strengthened Police enforcement and increased community knowledge and awareness of the importance of speed to road trauma.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Journal of Local and Global Health Science, title discontinued as of (2017)<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23</a></p>
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network_acronym_str Manara2
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spelling How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in AustraliaJennifer Oxley (10057811)Bruce Corben (568684)Health sciencesPublic healthLaw and legal studiesLaw in contextSpeedingRoad TraumaFatal CrashesSpeed Management StrategiesTraffic LawDriver AwarenessPolice Enforcement<p dir="ltr">Speeding remains a major contributor to trauma on our roads, held to be a major factor in around one-third of fatal crashes and over 10 percent of all crashes (Bowie & Walz, 1994; Fildes & Lee, 1993). This study reviewed speed management strategies and key factors that should be considered through a comprehensive review of the literature. One of the most frequently used methods of managing travel speeds is the posted speed limit. The primary purpose of the speed limit is to advise drivers of the maximum reasonable and safe operating speed under favourable conditions, therefore considered to be a road safety measure. Further, speed limits are designed to be (i) related to crash risk, (ii) provide a reasonable basis for enforcement, (iii) fair in the context of traffic law, and (iv) accepted as reasonable by most road users. Traditional approaches to setting speed limits (e.g. engineering approach using the 85th percentile speed) are compared with an alternative view to setting speed limits: the Safe System approach. This approach requires that all aspects of the system work together for the safest possible outcome, with speed representing a critical component. The findings suggest that there are some inherent issues in traditional speed limit setting guidelines, particularly as drivers lack awareness of the true relationship between speed and road trauma, under-estimate crash and injury risk and over-estimate what is a safe speed, and that there is often a mismatch between environmental cues and speed limits. There are opportunities to review and strengthen speed management policies and practices with a view to creating environments that promote safe behaviour rather than relying on drivers/riders to decide what is a safe speed, complemented by strengthened Police enforcement and increased community knowledge and awareness of the importance of speed to road trauma.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Journal of Local and Global Health Science, title discontinued as of (2017)<br>License: <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en" target="_blank">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23</a></p>2015-11-12T09:00:00ZTextJournal contributioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontextcontribution to journal10.5339/jlghs.2015.itma.23https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/How_do_drivers_choose_a_travel_speed_Implications_for_speed_management_strategies_in_Australia/27144465CC BY 4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:figshare.com:article/271444652015-11-12T09:00:00Z
spellingShingle How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
Jennifer Oxley (10057811)
Health sciences
Public health
Law and legal studies
Law in context
Speeding
Road Trauma
Fatal Crashes
Speed Management Strategies
Traffic Law
Driver Awareness
Police Enforcement
status_str publishedVersion
title How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
title_full How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
title_fullStr How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
title_full_unstemmed How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
title_short How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
title_sort How do drivers choose a travel speed? Implications for speed management strategies in Australia
topic Health sciences
Public health
Law and legal studies
Law in context
Speeding
Road Trauma
Fatal Crashes
Speed Management Strategies
Traffic Law
Driver Awareness
Police Enforcement