Without high levels of enforcement, considerable reliance is placed upon the voluntary observance of speed limits. Therefore, it is necessary to set the speed limit at a speed which will be acceptable to the public. It is suggested that unreasonably low limits may induce significant public disobedience and may be counterproductive to general compliance with traffic law. Although this comment tends to suggest that the speed limit should be set in accordance with preferred speeds alone it also implies that a limit determined on this basis is a balance between mobility, driver behaviour and perceived safety factors which the motorist takes into account when determining his speed. This recent survey has indicated, as did that undertaken in 1982, that there is considerable disregard for the existing freeway limit and that this disregard is probably increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce an acceptable limit so that public attitudes towards the limit is improved. The RACV (Royal Automobile Club of Victoria) believes that it is essential that the principal recommendation of the social development committee of the parliament of victoria to increase speed limits on freeways to 110 km/h be implemented immediately.
Abstract