THIS PAPER EXAMINES CHANGES IN VEHICLE SPEEDS AND SAFETY SINCE A 50 MPH OPEN ROAD SPEED LIMIT WAS IMPOSED IN NEW ZEALAND IN DECEMBER 1973 AS A FUEL SAVING MEASURE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE REDUCTION IN ROAD INJURIES IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING THE CHANGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH CONTEMPORARY CLAIMS THAT CHANGES TO THE RURAL SPEED DISTRIBUTION WERE MAJOR CAUSATIVE FACTORS. THESE CHANGES INCLUDED A SHARP DROP IN RURAL MEAN SPEEDS AND A SHARP CONTRACTION IN THE SPREAD OF THESE SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH MEAN SPEEDS HAVE SINCE CLIMBED TO NEARLY THEIR 1973 LEVELS, THE SPREAD OF SPEEDS, MANIFESTED PARTICULARLY BY THE NUMBER TRAVELLING AT VERY HIGH SPEEDS, REMAINS SMALLER THAN IN 1973. IT WOULD APPEAR PROBABLE THAT THIS FACTOR IS STILL FAVOURABLY INFLUENCING ROAD INJURY LEVELS. IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED THE LACK OF A DISCERNABLE LINK BETWEEN RURAL SPEED LIMIT VIOLATIONS AND SPEEDS SINCE 1974 SHOULD RAISE QUESTIONS AS TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPEED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND. (Author/publisher).
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