Go faster, go safer

[Surfer]

Here's a new twist to the flawed "speed kills" theory: a business organisation in England wants heavy trucks to go faster to save lives...

The Freight Transport Association believes "Investment and smarter speed limits" can improve traffic safety on Britain's crumbling road network - particularly trunk (main roads other than motorways) roads with their poor safety rating.

The FTA has called for greater investment in road infrastructure and for a "more intelligent" approach to truck speed limits "to bring greater safety benefits to all road users".

The comments followed a Road Safety Foundation report on the safety of England's trunk roads

Simple: allow trucks to travel faster on derestricted single-carriageway main roads

. Using a Europe-wide scale, the RSF found that two-thirds of single-carriageway main (trunk) roads in England on which head-on collisions were prevented only by road markings, were worthy of only two stars.

Malcolm Bingham, head of the FTA's road traffic management policy, said: "This report echoes our calls for greater investment in infrastructure and highlights the need for consistent funding of our trunk road network.

"We can't afford to be complacent when it comes to road safety and the government must see that a continual investment in our roads will not only save lives but also the millions of pounds lost every year through crashes.

"However, it is not just a case of throwing money at the highway authorities. An immediate and lasting improvement to road safety would be to equalize the speed limit for cars and commercial vehicles on these dangerous, single-carriageway roads where reckless overtaking is a proven killer."

THE BENEFITS ARE...

Essentially, he explained, head-on collisions were often caused by impatient car drivers overtaking speed-limited trucks at inopportune times when road markings permitted legal overtaking - the truck being forced to adhere to a speed lower than that permitted on the road.

The FTA believed the possible benefits of increasing the speed limit for commercial vehicles on single carriageway, de-restricted roads could be:

Fewer car drivers making dangerous overtaking manoeuvres through impatience.

Less stress for truck drivers, aware that they are holding up other road-users.

Shorter overall journey times, meaning drivers spend less time behind the wheel.

Improved fuel-efficiency and reduced exhaust emissions.

Do you have thoughts on the "go faster, go safer" theory as this will include caravans?

 

[Steve L]

I have to agree with the FTA on this subject.

All too often it is the "short sighted/narrow minded" car driver that causes a majority of collissions on our trunk roads (A roads). By allowing trucks to achieve 90Kph (56MPH)the flow of traffic will be more consistant. Also you will find that not only cars, but also 7500Kg trucks, will be less persistant in conducting dangerous overtaking manouvers.

The same pyilosophy could be applied to caravans and motorhomes. However one key aspect of a speed limit needs to be clearly understood. Speed limits are not targets and unless you see a speed sign that has blue background, there is no minimum limit. Therefore drivers should still drive within their own capability.

Another area where a review needs to be conducted is on motorways. When they were first concieved in 1959 there was no limit which caused some contraversy when AC cars were caught testing their AC Cobra at upto 180 MPH, I believe the speed limits were set at 90MPH after that, then in 1965 The limit was set at 70MPH it was known as the Barbra Castle affect. With today's vehicles 70MPH is far more easily maintained and in general those doing 70 are the slower vehicles.

Steve L.

 

[Steve L]

I have to agree with the FTA on this subject.

All too often it is the "short sighted/narrow minded" car driver that causes a majority of collissions on our trunk roads (A roads). By allowing trucks to achieve 90Kph (56MPH)the flow of traffic will be more consistant. Also you will find that not only cars, but also 7500Kg trucks, will be less persistant in conducting dangerous overtaking manouvers.

The same pyilosophy could be applied to caravans and motorhomes. However one key aspect of a speed limit needs to be clearly understood. Speed limits are not targets and unless you see a speed sign that has blue background, there is no minimum limit. Therefore drivers should still drive within their own capability.

Another area where a review needs to be conducted is on motorways. When they were first concieved in 1959 there was no limit which caused some contraversy when AC cars were caught testing their AC Cobra at upto 180 MPH, I believe the speed limits were set at 90MPH after that, then in 1965 The limit was set at 70MPH it was known as the Barbra Castle affect. With today's vehicles 70MPH is far more easily maintained and in general those doing 70 are the slower vehicles.

Steve L.

Oh S**t. I've just realised that I've took the lid off of a can of worms!!

Oh well there may be some sensible people wanting to add constructive comments that are not derogatory, slanderous or liableous.

 

[trucker]

If im in north devon delivering and comming back down the A361 link road (single carage way) to the motorway by the time I get to Tiverton roundabout there is about 1 mile of wound up cars and van driverss behind me, some giving rude gesturs as they pass on the duel carageway past thew roundabout. I have seen some crazy overtaking on that road just to save a couple of minuits on the journey, as Ssteve has said if Trucks were to travel at 56 the traffic would flow much better.

Im not advocating this on every A road but trunk roads would be a benifit to all.

Kevin

 

[simongarfield247]

As an HGV driver myself i couldn,t agree more with the FTA.The speed limits for trucks need to be changed.As a regular user of the A52,A17 and the A46 which are mainly single carriageway some of the overtaking moves by other vehicles are real eye openers.Also if i stay at 40mph the amount of other HGV drivers that overtake in stupid places is also quite scary.

Also whilst obeying the 40 mph limit you are constantly looking at your speedo and not at the road which cannot be that good for awareness and road safety.Its bad enough keeping your eyes open for lincolnshires finest with all there white vans and cameras.

If the limits were relaxed the traffic would flow a lot better,fewer fustrated car drivers would mean less accidents

 

[NigelHutson]

It doesn't matter what vehicle is being driven. These days (unfortunately) there appear to be more idiots out there than sensible drivers. One of the reasons that speed limiters were introduced for LGV's (and PCV's for that metter) was because drivers were incapable of behaving, and as we know, did and will drive as fast as the vehicle will go in some instances. I hold LGV and PCV licences (and do drive such vehicles), but I'm appalled at the standard of driving of all vehicles. Not so long ago I was a passenger in my sister-in-laws car which was being driven at about an indicated 55 mph (true 50 mph ish) (late at night on unfamiliar roads - to her) when some idiot in a new Volvo artic decided that he was going to overtake, despite his limit being 40 mph. The overtake was never on even in a car, but of course this plank wouldn't come off second best! Perhaps tougher penalties and driving tests, together with re-tests every five years would be the way to go?

 

[Alan Partridge]

The 40 limit on LGVs effectively makes many A roads 40 limited which is not in my opinion making best use of those roads.

The problem is exacerbated by low-skill car drivers - where there are reasonable overtaking opporunities it's not the LGV that makes the queue, it's the driver behind who will neither overtake nor leave space between himself and the LGV for others to do so.

 

[Guest]

Just as a side warning, there is talk in the 'Wee Scottish Parliament' of imposing a blanket 50 mph limit on all non motorway/dual carriageway rods instead of the current 60 mph. It appears that under the Devolution Act, they have that power, so if it does happen that a difference between England and Scotland is created, then the 'fur' will definitely fly. We already have certain parts of even motorways restricted to 50 mph, and yes, I know that happens elsewhere as well, but some of ours seem to have no reasoning behind them like tight curves or housing etc. The suspicion is that the sudden change in speed limit, is more a benefit for revenues.

 

[Alan Partridge]

This has just about happened in some English counties - most of the better single carriageway NSL A roads in Oxfordshire are now 50 limited.

 

[NigelHutson]

Alan,

Don't you find the same when you're towing a caravan? I certainly do. However, I'm still not convinced that LGV's should have the same limits. 50 mph on single carriageway roads maybe (but then again most are driven on limiters (90 kph) anyway!), but the danger is that it would be foot to the boards all the time. I agree that there are so many people out there who shouldn't be let loose whatever they're in, and sadly that applies to all vehicles including our caravanning colleagues.

 

[Alan Partridge]

⇨Don't you find the same when you're towing a caravan?

Nigel, if you mean do I think that it isn't caravans that cause queues then yes I agree - it's often the following driver who doesn't know how, or doesn't want, to overtake but makes it impossible for others to do so.

Of course it can happen that the second in the queue is a caravanner as well, which is unfortunate and even more of a blockage.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I am inclined to agree with the headline post, but a seriously doubt that raising the speed limit for HGV's will make a great deal of difference in the areas where I tend to drive.

Councils have been imposing lower speed limits on many roads, and in my area there seems to be a concerted effort to drop all residential roads to 20Mph, B class roads to 30Mph and all A class single track roads to 50Mph. In addition the authorities seem to have money to burn and do so by constructing traffic islands at many junctions.

I have to add that some of the new islands do work in my favour, but it does show up the very poor lane discipline that many driver have when negotiating them.

I seriously doubt that many loaded HGV's have enough time and distance to accelerate to more than about 40mph.

In more rural areas it would make a difference.

There is a body of thought that the speed restrictions imposed on HGVs is to improve safety, but provided the drivers act professionally then they will assess the conditions and adjust the vehicles speed accordingly.

 

[ShadySadie]

New 50mph limits on roads are just an excuse to make more revenue using speed traps.

The lowering of limits to 50 and even 40 is causing more accidents on many roads.

 

[602]

Hi,

Sorry, I disagree. If an HGV gets into an accident situation, it can do an awful lot of damage. I have been stationary in a 1965 MG Midget, what is quite small. The screaming noise, the smell, and the smoke was down to an HGV PASSING me with all wheels locked. Luckily by that time I was on the grass verge.

Even on the motorway, take a look at one HGV passing another. Note the width of the gap between them. My wife had the lfull length of the side of her SAAB opened up by the tail-gate of a supermarket curtain sider. The only explanation we can think of is that his trailer was blown sideways by strong winds. The truck driver said he didn't know he had hit anything.

Take a 6" nail. Stand it point down on a plank of wood. Rest a 14lb sledge hammer on the nail. How far does the nail penertrate into the wood? Not far, I would guess. Now hit the nail with a 8oz hammer. Any difference? The point I'm trying to make, it that speed will have a greater impact on the road than weight.

How many HGVs travel at 40mph on single carriageway roads? So how fast do they travel? Probably as fast as they feel safe, which could be 45, 50, 55, or WHY. So will they travel at a different speed, just because they are allowed to? And if not, how will changing the legal limit improve road safety?

OK, I am growing miserable, and old, and am turning into a git. But strangely, I do feel a degree of sympathy for truck drivers, but that doesn't extend to volunteering to put myself at risk just to make Transport Manager's lives easier.

Point taken about looking at your speedo. I reckon it takes about two seconds, to look down at your clock, refocus, then look back at the road, and refocus. Discuss! I calculate that to be about 50 yards at 50mph, when you are not looking at the road.

602

 

[Steve L]

In answer to Nigel's comments about speed limiters.

These infernal devices were brought in for more than just to limit over jelous drivers. In fact they were also brought in to protect drivers in their jobs. For decades now truck operators have had to run and pay for a

 

[Surfer]

Please be aware that they are only requesting the 40mph limit to be lifted to allow HGVs to travel faster on single carriage A roads and not motorways etc.

 

[Gareth111278]

Hi,

Sorry, I disagree. If an HGV gets into an accident situation, it can do an awful lot of damage. I have been stationary in a 1965 MG Midget, what is quite small. The screaming noise, the smell, and the smoke was down to an HGV PASSING me with all wheels locked. Luckily by that time I was on the grass verge.

Even on the motorway, take a look at one HGV passing another. Note the width of the gap between them. My wife had the lfull length of the side of her SAAB opened up by the tail-gate of a supermarket curtain sider. The only explanation we can think of is that his trailer was blown sideways by strong winds. The truck driver said he didn't know he had hit anything.

Take a 6" nail. Stand it point down on a plank of wood. Rest a 14lb sledge hammer on the nail. How far does the nail penertrate into the wood? Not far, I would guess. Now hit the nail with a 8oz hammer. Any difference? The point I'm trying to make, it that speed will have a greater impact on the road than weight.

How many HGVs travel at 40mph on single carriageway roads? So how fast do they travel? Probably as fast as they feel safe, which could be 45, 50, 55, or WHY. So will they travel at a different speed, just because they are allowed to? And if not, how will changing the legal limit improve road safety?

OK, I am growing miserable, and old, and am turning into a git. But strangely, I do feel a degree of sympathy for truck drivers, but that doesn't extend to volunteering to put myself at risk just to make Transport Manager's lives easier.

Point taken about looking at your speedo. I reckon it takes about two seconds, to look down at your clock, refocus, then look back at the road, and refocus. Discuss! I calculate that to be about 50 yards at 50mph, when you are not looking at the road.

602

602, WHEN was it you were in the Miget, truck passed you etc.?

All trucks have had mandatory ABS for about 10 yeas now!

 

[Gareth111278]

I've thought for a long time that trucks should be able to do 50mph on single carrigdeway roads.

Modern trucks handle & brake like cars compared to those in the 60's when [i think] the limit was imposed. They all have ABS on all wheels and bigger fatter tyres, more axles to reduce VED costs also means better braking etc.

Its a good idea.