Speed limit decrease on rural roads

[OnSong]

From the SAPOL website

What are the causes?

Vehicle speed

Speeding and/or driving in a manner dangerous is a major factor in at least 46% of fatal crashes
The risk of casualty crashes in suburban streets doubles for each 5 km/h above 60 km/h

Drink driving

In 2010 28% of people who died had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05% or higher
Every 0.05% increase (BAC) above zero doubles the risk of crashing

Irresponsible drivers

In 2010 61 of the 105 fatal crashes were attributed to irresponsible driver behaviour.
Irresponsible drivers include drivers that were under the influence of alcohol or a drug, speeding or driving in a manner dangerous.


Drug driving

In 2010 17% of drivers and riders tested positive to drugs
Legal or illegal drugs including amphetamine substances, cannabis and some prescription drugs can affect driver skills and attitudes


Seat belts

In 2010 36% of vehicle occupants who died were not wearing a seatbelt
In 2010 19 drivers and 10 passengers died whilst not wearing a seatbelt
Young male drivers in rural areas, rear seat passengers, young children and heavy vehicle drivers are more likely not to wear seatbelts


Fatigue

Fatigue is a contributing factor in single vehicle crashes on rural roads
Fatigue is a contributing factor in 30% of fatal crashes
Fatigue is a significant factor in crashes involving heavy trucks


Read into that lot what you will.

[The Sleeping Giant]

NT speed limit of 130km/hr could be abolished, and reverting back to unlimited speed limits. A reduction to 130km/hr has increased fatalities. I just wish my car would do 130.

[BIG SEXY]

From the SAPOL website

What are the causes?

Vehicle speed

Speeding and/or driving in a manner dangerous is a major factor in at least 46% of fatal crashes
The risk of casualty crashes in suburban streets doubles for each 5 km/h above 60 km/h

Drink driving

In 2010 28% of people who died had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05% or higher
Every 0.05% increase (BAC) above zero doubles the risk of crashing

Irresponsible drivers

In 2010 61 of the 105 fatal crashes were attributed to irresponsible driver behaviour.
Irresponsible drivers include drivers that were under the influence of alcohol or a drug, speeding or driving in a manner dangerous.


Drug driving

In 2010 17% of drivers and riders tested positive to drugs
Legal or illegal drugs including amphetamine substances, cannabis and some prescription drugs can affect driver skills and attitudes


Seat belts

In 2010 36% of vehicle occupants who died were not wearing a seatbelt
In 2010 19 drivers and 10 passengers died whilst not wearing a seatbelt
Young male drivers in rural areas, rear seat passengers, young children and heavy vehicle drivers are more likely not to wear seatbelts


Fatigue

Fatigue is a contributing factor in single vehicle crashes on rural roads
Fatigue is a contributing factor in 30% of fatal crashes
Fatigue is a significant factor in crashes involving heavy trucks


Read into that lot what you will.

speeding!!!! so lowering the limit will still have people speeding and still have the same cuase!!!

[MatteeG]

How the hell can they measure fatigue?

Definitely need harsher penalties for those who are caught DUI/driving unlicensed, particularly repeat offenders. Taking the plastic card away does not stop people driving...

[Ian]

Australian states and territories use two "default" speed limits. These apply automatically in the absence of 'posted' speed restriction signage. The two default speed limits are:
within built-up areas, 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph), except for the Northern Territory which remains at 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph)
outside built-up areas, 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph); two exceptions are Western Australia and the Northern Territory at 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph)

Every talks about driving courses, refreshed courses.

Great in theory.

Then when you have to take time off work, or use up a whole weekend to do the course you will all be back on here complaining that you have to do a driving course. Then you'll get Families SA complaining people don't have enough time for their families because you have to do a driving course.

Over a 600 km/h trip, if you sit on the exact speed limit for whole trip it only add's 33 minutes to the trip.

and it could be during that extra 33 minutes that fatigue really takes hold and you fall asleep at the wheel

[Ian]

Get the shit cars off the road and there will be 50% less accidents.
Get the shit drivers off the road and there will be 99% less accidents.
Lower speed limits and there might be a 1% improvement.
I know where Id invest my time/money.

shit (defective) cars have only contributed to less than 1% of accidents, this has been consistent for over 10 years.

Driver error/mistake/neglect etc can be contributed to over 90%

[FlyingHigh]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6192788679



http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6192118042

Will anything be improved with this kind of headlines?
Agree with amBays. Having driven on this road a little bit, I struggle to see what in wrong with it.
The attitudes, however, of many other road users, driving all kinds of vehicles, can be scary. Thankfully I don't have to use it any more, and would seriously consider going through Pinnaroo if I drive to Melbourne again.
Gives people the impression that it's not the drivers responsibility, but something extraneous to blame.

[Dog_ger]

Voted yes.

Hasn't the maximum speed on South Australian Roads been that for quite a few years now....?

Slow down guys, speed kills.

Hitting the Brakes from 100 and hitting an immovable object is far better than hitting the brakes from 110 to hit that same object.

Bottom Line.

Ban All Cars Over 10 years old from our roads!

[Psyber]

Voted yes.
Hasn't the maximum speed on South Australian Roads been that for quite a few years now....?
Slow down guys, speed kills.
Hitting the Brakes from 100 and hitting an immovable object is far better than hitting the brakes from 110 to hit that same object.
Bottom Line.
Ban All Cars Over 10 years old from our roads!

I voted "yes" to for that specific change.
I, too, thought we had gone to 100 kph on every road not specifically posted for higher speed some years ago - perhaps they then just posted them all 110...
Boredom on an empty road, because there is no stimulus, is more likely to add to fatigue, which kills too.
You shouldn't be in a situation where you need to "hit the brakes" if you are paying attention and anticipating risks you see ahead.
(I drove 5900 Km around Qld and northern NSW in 2010, and 4000 Km around the UK this year, and didn't need to "hit the brakes" once - just anticipate and slow down gently.)
I'd like my well maintained 1995 Audi S2 which has done only 162,000 km to still be usable thank you...

[Ian]

Ban All Cars Over 10 years old from our roads!

That is a very uneducated statement, 2 year old poorly maintained cars can be dangerous, a well maintained 20 yo car can be perfectly safe to drive. It is not the age of the car, mostly it is the driver.
Lets ban all drivers, that will make roads safer!!

[spell_check]

Go back to the horse and cart.

Whether you make it 90, 100 or 110; the dickheads will always do speeds like 150 and add to the road toll anyway.

[Sky Pilot]

I think you are right

[gossipgirl]

should just have speed limiters installed on all cars so that 100 kmh is the max speed

[BIG SEXY]

should just have speed limiters installed on all cars so that 100 kmh is the max speed

but 100 isnt the speed limit all through australia.
what if your overtaking a road train get along side it and realise youve misjudged and need extra speed to get past? or maybe we shouldnt overtake. perhaps we could all buy caravans and sit on 70

[Psyber]

should just have speed limiters installed on all cars so that 100 kmh is the max speed

but 100 isnt the speed limit all through australia.
what if your overtaking a road train get along side it and realise you've misjudged and need extra speed to get past? or maybe we shouldnt overtake. perhaps we could all buy caravans and sit on 70

Yes, not being able to accelerate to get out of trouble can be very dangerous.
In 2010, in northern NSW, after topping a hill I started to pass a truck which then accelerated with me on the downhill run until we were both just over the speed limit.
As I couldn't see behind him to decide whether it was safe to brake and drop back I had to out-accelerate him fast before the crest of the next hill came too close.

[gossipgirl]

the problem is that peoples attitudes need to change e.g. people always want to accelerate to get out of trouble instead of the much safer option of slowing down.

i am guilty of this as well

[Zelezny Chucks]

the problem is that peoples attitudes need to change e.g. people always want to accelerate to get out of trouble instead of the much safer option of slowing down.

i am guilty of this as well

Slowing down isn't always the much safer option. Driver education would teach people that.

[Westsider]

the problem is that peoples attitudes need to change e.g. people always want to accelerate to get out of trouble instead of the much safer option of slowing down.

i am guilty of this as well

Slowing down isn't always the much safer option. Driver education would teach people that.

Which comes back to my point.

How many people are willing to take time off work, give up their nights or give up their weekends to go on a forced "driver education course"?

Lucky to be around 5% of people would be willing to do it without complaining.

[tipper]

the problem is that peoples attitudes need to change e.g. people always want to accelerate to get out of trouble instead of the much safer option of slowing down.

i am guilty of this as well

Slowing down isn't always the much safer option. Driver education would teach people that.

Which comes back to my point.

How many people are willing to take time off work, give up their nights or give up their weekends to go on a forced "driver education course"?

Lucky to be around 5% of people would be willing to do it without complaining.

which is why it wont happen, it would be political suicide for whoever brought it in, but that doesnt mean that it shouldnt happen.

if it was enacted that all new drivers had to do it (basically write the rest of us off as a lost cause ) it could be done, but once again it wont because it will take too long for the results of the change to be seen, and therefore no polititian will do it, as the results wont be shown in their time.

i still maintain that it is the only way to drastically reduce road trauma, but am completely convinced that it will also never happen. we will just have to put up with increasingly lower limits (i think this change is the thin end of the wedge...) more speed cameras and increased speeding fines, as they are all solutions that can be enacted for minimal cost, and can show immediate results. all however fail to address the root cause.

stuff it, lets go back to the very early days of cars. we all have to get someone to walk in front of the car waving a red flag to warn others of the approaching vehicle. all cars will then be reduced to walking pace, and it will create hundreds of thousands of jobs overnight..... god i hope no current or future polititian reads that

[Psyber]

the problem is that peoples attitudes need to change e.g. people always want to accelerate to get out of trouble instead of the much safer option of slowing down.
i am guilty of this as well

As I said above, my first thought was to slow down and drop back behind the truck.
But it wasn't the safer option...

I couldn't tell in my mirror whether the several other cars behind me had closed up the space I'd vacated behind the truck, because the truck obscured my view.
So, if I'd slowed down I may have been stuck out on the wrong side of the road as we approached the next crest.
Accelerating was the only way to be sure that didn't happen.