Speed and Crash Risk

This reports concludes that governments need to take actions that will reduce the speed on roads – as well as speed differences between vehicles sharing the same road.

The report finds that with higher driving speeds the number of crashes – and the crash severity – ‘increase disproportionally’.

The report points to research which suggests that the risk of death is about 4-5 times higher in a collision between a car and a pedestrian at 50kmh – compared to the same type of collision at 30kmh.

The report recommends that where motorised vehicles and vulnerable road users share the same space, such as in residential areas, 30kmh (20mph) is the recommended maximum speed.

It also suggests stricter enforcement or an upgrade of the infrastructure is needed to compensate for the increased risk related to higher speeds.