Many people believe that reducing the speed limit is the best option for road safety improvement. Do you think there are other measures that could be put in place? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
In modern times, many people believe that imposing limits on speed need to be imposed to ensure the roads are safer for all. I am convinced there is no other way that could make roads safer. In the following paragraphs I will analyze both the merits and demerits of this method.
Lower speeds give drivers more time to react and stop themselves from getting involved in road accidents, it would be easy for them to analyze road conditions. When motorists drive within permissible speeds, they will be able to assess the roads ahead, oncoming traffic and also any obstructions, which will allow them to take evasive actions. For instance, IDA, India did a comparative study over 5 years before and after implementation of speed cappings on main roads of major cities like Delhi and Bangalore and found that this policy helped bring down road mishap by almost 40 percent.
Similarly, this policy can help ensure prevention of mechanical failures that usually take place at high speeds. To illustrate, it has been proven by studies conducted in Germany and other parts of Europe that tyre bursts and other failures linked to engines at manageable speed give drivers enough time to control and stop their vehicles.
However, benefits aside there drawbacks too, time management can become difficult for people, especially those having hectic schedules. Driving slowly will take more time and their journey will be longer which will increase their stress level and irritability. Additionally, the consumption of fuel will increase automatically when people slow down their speed causing pollution levels to rise.
In hindsight, there is no other way to improve road safety than focusing on speed management as controlling speed will decrease the cases of accidents and people dying due to reckless speeding.
