SPEED%20KILLS

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SPEED KILLS KILL SPEED Evidence from Around the
World
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Speed Kills, Kill Speed

• Prepared by Tamar Berman
• Center for Injury Prevention
• Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Pucblic
  Health and Community Medicine
• POB 12272 Jerusalem
• supported by Metuna

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INCREASED SPEEDS result in INCREASED FATALITIES
everywhere
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UNITED STATES (1995-96)
Measure 24 states increased speed limits on
urban and rural inter-states
Result In states with increased speed limit,
deaths increased by 15 ,
resulting in 450500 more
deaths each year
Source Farmer et al, 1999
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UNITED STATES (2003)
Measure By 2003, most US states increase rural
interstate highway speed limit to 75
mph
Result In states with increased speed limit,
deaths increased by 38, resulting in
780 more deaths
Source Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
2003
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ISRAEL
Measure Speed limit increased from
90 to 100 kph on three interurban highways in
1993
Result Deaths increased by 15
case fatality rates increased by
38
Source Richter et al., 2004
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HONG KONG
Measure Speed limit increased from
70 to 80 kph on six urban roads in 1999
Result Fatal and serious crashes increased by
36 All crashes increased by 18
Source Wong et al., 2005
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Change in crashes and injuries Change in deaths Average speed increase
15 increase in injuries (interstates) (NHTSA,1998) 15 increase 0.3-3.7 kph (Farmer, 1997) United States, (Farmer et al, 1999)
38 increase 2/3 of drivers drives faster than 70 mph United States, (IIHS, 2003)
15 in deaths Speed increase 4.5-9.1 Israel (Richter et al, 2004)
18 increase, all crashes 36 increase in fatal and serious crashes Hong Kong (Wong et al, 2005)
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DECREASED SPEEDS result in DECREASED
FATALITIES.
everywhere
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UNITED STATES
Measure Nationwide speed limit of 55 mph imposed
in 1974 (following energy crisis)
Result 3,000 - 5,000 lives saved each year
Source Transportation Research Board, 1984
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SWITZERLAND
Measure Speed limits decreased from 130 to 120
kph in 1985
Result fatal crashes drop by 12
Source Finch et al, 1994
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SWEDEN
Measure Speed limits decreased from 110 to 90
kph in 1989
Result fatal crashes drop by 21
Source Nilsson, 1990
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DENMARK
Measure Speed limits decreased from 60 to 50 kph
Result fatal crashes drop by 24
Source Engel, 1990
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AUSTRALIA
Result fatal crashes drop by 31
Measure 2,500 speed cameras introduced in
Queensland, 1997 - 2001
Source Newstead, 2001
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Everywhere.
Speed cameras reduce road deaths by
17 - 71
Source Pilkington, 2005
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Change in crashes and injuries Change in deaths Average speed decrease
3,000 5,000 lives saved each year United States, (TRB, 1984)
Drop by 12 Speeds drop by 5 km/h Switzerland (Finch et al, 1994)
Drop by 21 Speeds drop by 14 kph Sweden (Nilsson 1990)
Drop by 11 (all crashes) Drop by 31 Australia (Newstead 2001)
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Increasing or relaxing speed limits will lead
to more deaths because
SPEED KILLS