On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 15:22:05 +0100, "Uno Hoo!"
In some circumstances, that is true.
In most, it isn't, AFAIK.
What higher speed *does* do is to increase the probability that any accidents you do have will have more severe effects.
NSL speed limits are a complete waste of time, IMO.
Each road should be buttessed individually, and have an appropriate speed limit set.
Most of our minor roads would finish up with a limit *significantly* lower than the current NSL.
Most motorways would end up with a limit significantly *higher* than the current NSL, as I suspect would most dual carriageways.
Major single carriageway roads would vary considerably, and while many might end up with the same limit as the current NSL, many others would not.
I simply do not for one moment believe there would be any measurable increase in that type of accident.
I would expect that the vast majority of drivers spend most of their time on single carriageway NSL roads at significantly less than the current limit.
I don't think many people *would* drive at those speeds on that type of road.
There are certainly some roads that are deceptive, and people often do drive too fast, but most people know roughly how fast they can reasonably drive on roads they are familiar with, and most will take more care to be well within what they consider safe on roads they are less familiar with.
Because nobody has come up with a more sensible answer.
Personally, I do believe that speed limits help, if used correctly. I do not believe that a blanket default limit is using them correctly, and I do not think that helps significantly, except on roads that really are very similar.
I can see an argument for a blanket limit on most motorways, because they are very similar roads (although it should be at least 15mph more than it is, and maybe more than that).
I cannot see any justification for a blanket 60 limit on single carriageway non-urban roads. there is a *huge* variation in the types of roads covered by that, and a single limit for them all *cannot* be appropriate. -- Alex Heney, Global Villager Never deprive someone of hope; it may be all they have. To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom
