Understanding the Dynamics of Speed Management

Back in 2007, the Department for Transport commissioned Shared Intelligence to deliver a road safety research dissemination and action learning programme. The programme which began in September 2007 and will run through to March 2010, aims to improve the dissemination, awareness and active use of road safety research and to support action learning for national and local practitioners and stakeholders.

The programme comprises of a series of workshops, seminars and action learning groups, one of which took place recently in Nottingham titled ‘Understanding the Dynamics of Speed Management’. Among the presentations were, ’Why do people speed?’, given by Steve Stradling of Napier University, ’What is the relationship between speeding and driver behaviour?’, given by Claire Corbett of Brunel University, ’How does the road environment affect speed choice?’ given by Samantha Jamson of Leeds University and ‘Speed Management Interventions—how do we know they work?’ given by Ben Johnson, Janet Kennedy and Barry Sexton of TRL.

Some of the key findings included;

• Those individuals who excessively broke the speed limit tended to take more risks and were likely to be young and male.
• It was found through further investigation that many drivers who excessively broke the speed limit drove more miles per annum than other groups and had cars with larger more powerful engines than other demographic groups – thus increasing their risks by a significant margin
• Those that did speed overestimated the time they would save, in comparison to complying with the speed limit.
  
  The threat of disqualification seems to work and this is proved by the low reconviction rate for the majority of offenders.
• Most of those questioned did not see themselves as ‘speeders’ or if they did admit to speeding, they did not consider themselves to be dangerous on the roads. This points towards the perception amongst some drivers that speeding is not necessarily an attributing factor to dangerous driving, at least for themselves
• It is necessary to differentiate between speed reduction solutions for urban areas and those for rural areas. The two areas require markedly different solutions.

To download the briefing paper and presentations from this seminar please click here