On 30 April 2004 the general speed limit on the Danish motorways was raised from 110 km/h to 130 km/h. On half of the motorway road network, however, the speed limit was kept at 110 km/h. but on these motorway stretches the speed limit was now stated with signposting. Evaluation of short term effect In this publication the short term effect of the raised speed limit is evaluated. The evaluation concerns the actual driven mean speeds, the number of accidents and personal injuries and impacts on the environment. Furthermore, the statistical relations between changes in speed and the number of accidents and personal injuries are assessed. The change in the speed limit was followed by a number of initiatives which normally would have a reducing effect on the mean speed. Among these initiatives were: a period with increased speed enforcement on the motorways, increasing of the penalties for speed violations, considerable amounts of campaign activity and signposting at the 110 km/h motorways. Therefore, the evaluation was carried out for both 130 km/h and 110 km/h motorways. This evaluation concerns the short term effect, meaning the effect measured within the first 16 months with the new speed limit. After this period the penalty point system was introduced and thus it is no longer possible to separate the effect of the raised speed limit and the penalty point system. (Author/publisher)
Abstract