The government’s proposal to reverse the last mob’s reduction of speed limits sits well with some in the community. These are the kind that tend to complain about the excessive use of road cones, and other forms of controlling over reach. Not all sectors of society agree however.
In the latest briefing from the Public Health Communication Centre, the University of Canterbury’s Professor Simon Kingham says the proposed speed limit increases will ‘lead to more deaths and serious injuries on our roads and also likely worsen air quality and increase greenhouse gases while failing to improve economic productivity as promised’.
Professor Kingham, who was the former chief science advisor to the Ministry of Transport, and his co-author, social scientist Dr Angela Curl of the University of Otago, are said to have examined the health impacts of raising speed limits. They say the consequences are likely to be significant and wide-ranging with costs outweighing any benefits.
“Simply put, deaths and serious injuries are much higher at increased speeds, primarily as a result of increased stopping distances,” says Professor Kingham. “The chances of a pedestrian surviving a crash are around 90 per cent at 30km/h, compared to around 10 per cant at 50km/h. Evidence shows that reduced speed limits lead to notable decreases in deaths and injuries.”
“Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) also increases emissions. Urban speed limits of 30km/h result in significantly lower emissions than 50km/h, while having only a small effect on total journey times.” Most research suggests air pollution negatively impacts people’s health.
“The government’s argument for raising speed limits defies the evidence. They say it will save time and increase productivity, but research on this is unclear. In contrast, there is overwhelming evidence that higher speed limits have a significant negative impact on health and wellbeing and will cost the country financially.” Kingham also makes mention that people are less likely to walk and cycle in areas of higher-speed areas.
The submissions for the Setting of Speed Limits 2024 consultation close on 11 July.
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