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Variable speed limits will be introduced around schools
which will reduce the speed limit whilst pupils are arriving and departing
from school. Average speed cameras will be introduced in many 20mph zones
which will record when the vehicle enters and leaves the area, and calculate
how fast it travelled on average through the zone, capturing those who have
exceeded the limit.
This method is now thought to be a preferred option to
speed humps for reducing speed in residential areas.
Each year vehicle occupants in
car
accidents,
cyclist
accidents and
pedestrian accidents account for over 3,000 deaths on the UK's roads,
the new strategy hopes to reduce this to 2,000 by the year 2020. Research by
the Department for Transport (DfT)
indicates that at 20mph only 2.5% of pedestrians in collision with a vehicle
will die. This rises at 30mph to 20% and then at 40mph sees 90% of
pedestrians hit being killed. Studies are being conducted in the hope that
local authorities will be persuaded to introduce more 20mph zones.
One study of 250 20mph zones carried out by the Transport
Research Laboratory found that where the speed limit had been reduced there
was a 60% reduction in crashes, 67% less child casualties and an average
reduction in speed of 9mph.
It is estimated that for every 1mph speed is reduced crash
frequency is reduced by around 5%. Bike accident claims solicitors
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