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Speed and road safety

Feb 15,2019 - ARTICLES
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High speed is one of the major factors causing crashes and injuries as a result. Dangerous speed is when the speed limit is exceeded. The speed should also be chosen considering the road-traffic conditions, and if not done so, the number of traffic crashes increases sharply. More than half of the traffic violation cases in Azerbaijan are due to a violation of the speed limit. At the same time, the vast majority of road traffic crashes are associated with this

Tracking the speed of a vehicle can reduce crashes or severity of health damage.

How does speed affect crashes?

The greater the speed of the vehicle, the longer it takes for a driver to stop the vehicle. To break the car moving at 50 km/h, it will require a 13 m distance, at the same time 40 km/h requires 8.5 m for braking.

Increasing the speed of the vehicle by 1 km/h increases the risk of crashes by 3%.

High speed also influences passengers in the car. In case of a crash, the risk of death of a passenger of a vehicle at 80 km/h is 20 times higher than that of a 30 km/h.

The high-speed vehicle also impacts pedestrians and cyclists vastly. For instance, if a car moves at a speed of 30 km/h and hitting the pedestrian, the probability of pedestrian’s survival is 90%, nevertheless, the probability of survival will decrease to 50% if the speed is 45 km/h.  The pedestrian has no chance to survive when the speed is 80 km/h and above.

 

Which factors affect speed?

Several factors play a role in choosing the driver's speed mode:

  • Factors related to the driver itself (ages, aggressiveness, drunkenness, number of passengers in the vehicle, etc.)
  • Road and vehicle-related issues (road conditions, road features, vehicle capacity, maximum speed limitation, etc.)
  • Transport flow and environment (flow density, speed, composition and weather conditions)

What do you need to do to reduce the negative effects of high speeds?

Measures required to maintain vehicle speeds at an optimal level:

  • Optimize and efficiently monitor the permissible speeds in the road-traffic network (radar, camera, etc.). The speeds should be identified according to the function of the road network. In all cases, the maximum speed at streets and avenues in the city should not be more than 50 km/h.
  • International experience shows that the reduction of speed limits in the road-traffic network does not have long-term effects, therefore it is important to optimize and improve the control mechanisms.
  • Speed detection cameras are one of the most efficient tools.
  • The speed limit on suburban roads may vary depending on weather conditions. For example, the maximum permissible speeds in rainy or snowy weather should be reduced.
  • It's also a good idea to split high speeds and relatively slow streams on fast and wide roads. At this point, the conflict points are reduced
  •  Particular attention should be given to high-speed suburban roads connecting the city's streets and avenues. In such places, "traffic calming" tools should be used. Circular cross-sections and cross-sections that are regulated by traffic lights can be set as an example.
  • High-tonnage vehicles should be removed from the streets and avenues of the city during the busy peak hours. This measure can reduce traffic crashes in urban areas.
  • Cities should approve new planning and safety standards for the road network. These measures include "traffic calming" and the fair distribution of road among users, placement of pedestrian crossings and modern approaches.