Lower speed limits save lives

Media Statement from Nerina Nerina Di Lorenzo, Director City Infrastructure

Thursday 24 March 2011, Moreland City Council

Moreland’s Integrated Transport Strategy and Pedestrian Strategy strongly support a 40km per hour speed limit on all local roads.

Both the transport strategy and pedestrian strategy contain actions which advocate for a reduced speed limit. This is based on research that shows that the probability of a pedestrian fatality rapidly increases above speed limits of 40km per hour.

This is in addition to the research conducted following the reduction of the general urban speed limit from 60km per hour to 50km per hour in 2001, which revealed a significant reduction in crash trauma (Monash University Accident Research Centre – MUARC).

Globally Victorian local roads have higher speed limits when compared to Sweden and the Netherlands where the speed limit on local roads is 30km per hour, while in California it is 40km per hour.