The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) announced last week that it's drafted a law that will allow a speed limit of 110kmph on some roads in New Zealand. It comes on the heels of a Speed Management Guide, released by the government in November 2016 which proposed new rules for the ways speed limits are set and road designs altered.
This move comes at a time where there is international interest in roads and the speeds we use them at. It's Road Safety week this week - driven by the UN as a global initiative, and supported by local organisations like New Zealand's Brake Road Safety charity. Resources for anyone keen to get involved are here. This year's theme is specifically centered around speed - save lives and #SlowDown.
Harry Wilson, the NZTA's road safety director explained the motive behind the new rules. "Not all roads have the same risk, and we need to reflect that in the way we manage speed. The priority will be looking at roads where changes to travel speeds will have the greatest impact on safety or economic productivity," he said.
Criteria for the speed limit increase include the following:
- It is a high-volume national road
- It is median-divided, with at least two lanes in each direction
- There is no direct access to any property
- Intersections are grade-separated (one direction is elevated i.e. an overpass)
- It has a low crash risk
To find out which roads might be changing their speed limits, read the full article here.
Public consultation on the rule will be open until June 16 - so if you want to have your say, we'd encourage you to go for it. We here at Fleetcoach believe it's incredible important for everyone to get involved in the rules and regulations surrounding the roads we use every day. Let's all become active users of our roads - whether that's by getting involved in road safety promotions, voting on rule changes, or just reading what the research says about safer roads.
What do you think about the proposed 110kmph speed limit? We'd love to hear your opinion.
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