Speed Enforcement
Got
Stunted
speed?
gr
Speeding is defined as exceeding the posted speed
limit or driving at a speed unsafe for prev
ow
ailing
th
conditions.
We’ve all heard the expression “speed kills.” But what
is behind that expression and what can a township or
other governmental agency do to help the citizens it
serves? Consider the following statistics about the
effects of speeding on highways and in work zones:
• According to the Federal Highway Administra-
tion, in 2002 some 13,713 fatalities were speed-related,
ie, at least one of the drivers involved in the crash was
speeding. This is the highest number of speed-related
fatalities since 1991, after reaching a high of 16,947 in
1986. About a third of all fatalities that occur in motor
vehicle traffic crashes are speed-related.
• The number of speeding-related fatalities has
been increasing every year since 2000.
• About 15 per cent of all police-reported
accidents are speeding related.
• While considerable attention and debate has
been focused on speed limits on the nation’s high-speed
roadways, speed-related crashes occur on all types of
rural and urban roads. In fact, 90 per cent of speed-
related fatalities occurred on non-Interstate highways.
• The economic cost to society of speed-related
crashes is estimated to be about US$25billion annually.
• In 2002, about 40 per cent of speeding-related
fatal crashes occurred while negotiating a curve, while
slightly less than 20 per cent of non-speeding related of reducing speed-related crashes and promoting the
fatal crashes occurred under similar roadway orderly movement of road users. To that end, variable
geometry. message signs and/or speed matrix signs have proven
• There were 835 work zone fatalities in 2007; this to be a successful method of curtailing speed in high-
figure represents 2 per cent of all roadway fatalities for risk areas. Several studies have been conducted nation-
the year, and over four out of every five work zone fatali- wide over the years that prove out the benefits of these
ties were motorists. strategies.
• There are over 40,000 injuries in work zones, on In 1998, a follow-up study was conducted in Virginia to
average, one work zone fatality every 10 hours (2.3/day) confirm the superior effectiveness of employing radar-
and one work zone injury every 13 minutes (110/day). equipped dynamic message signs (DMS) to static Uni-
The need for speed management is obvious. Speed form Traffic Control Device signage at reducing vehicle
management consists of employing engineering, speeds in work zones during construction projects that
enforcement, and educational methods for the purpose last one week or less. Radar-equipped DMS can be used
58 Vol 4 No 1 Thinking Highways
www.thinkinghighways.com
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