Story Archive

Safety Planning

When England’s Bath and North East Somerset Council, at a cost of 871,000 pounds (US$1.18 million), lowered the speed limit to 20 mph in 13 high-accident zones, it made a difference, and quickly: in the first year, fatalities and serious injuries due to traffic increased significantly. “There is no simple explanation for this adverse trend,” said a report, “but it could be that local people perceive the area to be safer ... and thus are less diligent.” Council deputy leader Patrick Anketell-Jones doesn’t expect the speed limit in the 13 zones to be raised anytime soon. “We just haven’t got the money,” he said. As far back as 2010, the Department for Transport looked at another community that had tried lowering speed limits, and found that casualties had risen there, too. (AC/London Telegraph) ...If that didn’t stop councilors from adopting the lower speed limit, the pedestrians aren’t the only ones “less diligent” than they should be.