In November, 1993, the Minister of Transportation raised the speed limit on two stretches of interurban roads (Jerusalem-Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv-Ashdod) from 90 to 100 km/h as the first phase in a programme. The aim was to introduce a 110 km/h limit on fast interurban roads, and a 125 km/h limit on the proposed Trans-Israel Expressway. The decision was based on the Livneh Committee recommendations. The Livneh Committee predicted that raised speed limits on high speed roads would reduce the total number of interurban deaths. This would be accomplished by diverting road traffic from slower, but more hazardous side roads. An alternative risk assessment was submitted by physicians in epidemiology and in emergency medicine. This assessment predicted an increase of 60-80 deaths in the interurban sector from the increased fatality risks to road users. The objectives of this paper are to determine: (1) which of the two risk assessments more closely predicted what actually happened; and (2) whether the Livneh Committee's recommendations should be reconsidered.
Abstract