This report from the project MASTER (MAnaging Speeds of Traffic on European Roads) presents recommendations for speed management strategies and tools, based on 25 other research reports from the same project. As a background for recommendations, an overview of the various impacts of speed is given together with a summary of factors affecting drivers' choice of speed, and a description of current speeds and speed limits in Europe. Present and potential future speed management measures and tools are systematically described and assessed. The principles of a rational approach to speed management are described. It is recommended that target speeds on different kinds of roads are determined on the basis of systematic and comprehensive assessment of all impacts of speed. Recommendations for speed management measures and tools are presented separately for four different road categories: urban residential streets, urban main roads, rural mixed traffic roads and motorways. It is concluded that further development of speed management could include, for example, harmonisation of speed limits in different European countries, development of European guidelines for speed management on different kinds of roads, further development and wider use of automated speed enforcement, and introduction of adaptive in-vehicle speed limiters. Research needs for further development of speed management are identified. (A)
Abstract