Speed limit

This article is about road speed limits. For the speed of light, see Special relativity. For road speed limits in specific countries, see Speed limits by country. For rail speed limits, see Slow zone.
"Speed Limit" redirects here. For the video game, see Speed Limit (video game). For the Austrian heavy metal band, see Speed Limit (band).

A road sign shows maximum and minimum speed limit for different types of vehicle on expressway in China. Speed limit signs are shown in kilometres per hour.

Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road.[1] Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, expressed as kilometres per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph) or both. Speed limits are commonly set by the legislative bodies of national or provincial governments and enforced by national or regional police and judicial authorities. Speed limits may also be variable, or in some places nonexistent, such as on most of the Autobahnen in Germany.[2]

The first numeric speed limit for automobiles was the 10 mph (16 km/h) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861.[3]

As of 2018 the highest posted speed limit in the world is 160 km/h (99 mph), applied on two motorways in the UAE.[4] Speed limits and safety distance are poorly enforced in the UAE, specifically on the Abu Dhabi to Dubai motorway – which results in dangerous traffic, according to a French government travel advisory.[5] Additionally, "drivers often drive at high speeds [and] unsafe driving practices are common, especially on inter-city highways. On highways, unmarked speed bumps and drifting sand create additional hazards", according to a travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department.[6]

There are several reasons to regulate speed on roads. It is often done in an attempt to improve road traffic safety and to reduce the number of casualties from traffic collisions. The World Health Organization (WHO) identified speed control as one of a number of steps that can be taken to reduce road casualties.[n 1] As of 2021, the WHO estimates that approximately 1.3 million people die of road traffic crashes each year.[7]

Authorities may also set speed limits to reduce the environmental impact of road traffic (vehicle noise, vibration, emissions) or to enhance the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, and other road-users. For example, a draft proposal from Germany's National Platform on the Future of Mobility task force recommended a blanket 130 km/h (81 mph) speed limit across the Autobahnen to curb fuel consumption and carbon emissions.[8] Some cities have reduced limits to as little as 30 km/h (19 mph) for both safety and efficiency reasons.[9] However, some research indicates that changes in the speed limit may not always alter average vehicle speed.[10] Lower speed limits could reduce the use of over-engineered vehicles.[11]

  1. ^ MINIMUM SPEED: REGULATION AND PENALTIES IN AUSTRIA, 23.02.2016, Autorevue Austria.
  2. ^ "Driving on the Autobahn". www.german-way.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  3. ^ Aubin, Jean-Pierre; Désilles, Anya (13 July 2016). Traffic Networks as Information Systems: A Viability Approach. Springer. ISBN 9783642547713.
  4. ^ "New speed limit for Abu Dhabi's Mafraq-Ghweifat highway - ARN News Centre". ARN News Centre. 30 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Emirats arabes unis- Dernière minute". 22 April 2024.
  6. ^ "United Arab Emirates International Travel Information".
  7. ^ Pietrasik, T (21 June 2021). "Road traffic injuries". www.who.int. Retrieved 25 December 2021.
  8. ^ "Germany considers Autobahn speed limit to fight climate change". The Local Germany. 21 January 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  9. ^ "The impact of lowered speed limits in urban and metropolitan areas" (PDF).
  10. ^ Parker, M. R. Jr. (1997). Effects of Raising and Lowering Speed Limits on Selected Roadway Sections, FHWA-RD-9 7-084 (PDF). Washington DC: Federal Highway Commission. pp. 85–87. Retrieved 5 February 2017. There is statistically sufficient evidence [...] to reject the hypothesis that driver speeds do not change when posted speed limits are either raised or lowered.
  11. ^ Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee (2 August 2005) [November 2004]. "Memorandum by Greenspeed (RP22)". Road Pricing: The Next Steps; Seventh Report of Session 2004-05, Volume 2. Volume 218 of Paper (Great Britain. Parliament. (Session 2004-05). House of Commons)). London: The Stationery Office (published 2005). p. 171. ISBN 9780215025661. Retrieved 9 December 2021. The introduction of lower speed limits could be extremely cheap and need not be delayed. [...] Just as modern cars have top speeds suitable for German Autobahns, if the 70 mph (110 km/h) limit is maintained car design will not make the changes necessary to an integrated and sustainable transport system.


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