A nationwide observational free speed survey on Irish roads was conducted in the summer of 2007 by Road Safety Authority. The 2007 free speeds (rural) survey generally give an improved results compared to 2006 on rural roads. The proportion of articulated vehicles, cars and rigid trucks complying with speed limits on motorways, national primary and national secondary roads has improved in 2007. However, on urban national roads, the proportion of articulated vehicles, cars and rigid trucks complying with speed limits has decreased. There were significant improvements in the proportion of cars complying with speed limits on motorways, national primary and national secondary roads in 2007, with the proportion of free-speeding cars breaking the posted limit falling from 20% in 2006 to 14% in 2007 on motorways, from 30% to 24% on dual carriageways, and from 27% to 20% on national primary roads, and from 13% to 4% on national secondary roads over the same period. However, on regional and local roads the proportion of cars complying with speed limits decreased. Average car free speed was 108 km/h on motorways, 92 km/h on dual carriageways, 89 km/h on two-lane national primaries, 76 km/h on two-lane national secondary and 73 km/h on both regional and local roads. The proportion of cars exceeding the speed limit on urban arterial roads (in 50 km/h zones) fell by 46 percentage points to 40% in 2007. There was a significant decreased in the percentage of cars exceeding the 50 km/h speed limit in urban residential areas - from 47% in 2006 to 23% in 2007. Average free speed of cars on urban national roads remained the same. (Author/publisher)
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