Autoblog

Report: Many Detroit-area speed limits are set at 'illegally' low levels

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:38:00 EST

It's probably a safe bet that many Autoblog readers find speed limits very annoying in general. To that end, it turns out that a significant number of limits in Michigan may, in fact, be illegal. Researchers have known for years that when it comes to safety, speed limits should be set at the 85th percentile traffic flow speed. The reality is that most drivers move along at what they consider to be a safe speed for the conditions regardless of the posted limit. To minimize accidents, the limit should therefore be the speed at which 85 percent of the drivers are moving.

In 2006, the Michigan legislature passed a law requiring speed limits to be set based on such traffic studies. Despite that law, many municipalities have not conducted studies of their own and are maintaining artificially-low speed limits. In many cases this is being done to prop up speeding ticket revenues. Because of the law, drivers who feel the speed limits are too low have challenged their tickets and had them dismissed if no traffic study has been done. Even Lt. Gary Megge, head of the Michigan State Police Traffic Services Section, finds it "reprehensible" that communities are not following the law. Hopefully, publicizing this practice will get cities and towns to follow the law - you know, the same way they expect drivers to.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: Dwightsghost]

Report: Many Detroit-area speed limits are set at 'illegally' low levels originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TomTom data reveals U.S. drivers' average speed, fastest highway

Chris Shunk — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal

If you have a TomTom, the eye in the sky has been watching you and tracking your interstate speeds over the past two years. Don't worry, TomTom isn't going nark you out - it's tracking the data from its Speed Profiles program to help fleet drivers find the fastest routes around the nation. The two years of data collection shows that, overall, Americans tend to drive within the acceptable limits of the law overall, but the average speed of your journey will typically be determined by where you're driving.

If you want to go really fast, you're predictably better off in some of the least populated states in the Union. Mississippi has the fastest roads on average, with typical speeds at just over 70 miles per hour, followed by New Mexico. The fastest single interstate is I-15 in Utah and Nevada, with speeds averaging 77.67 mph. That's pushing the upper limits of the law with a 70 mph speed limit, but luckily for folks out west the top speed hits 80 mph in some areas. But while the west has I-15, the biggest speed winners are in the middle of the country: Mississippi, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Idaho, Alabama and Missouri exceed all exceed an average of 67 mph.

While the country's midsection has the fastest average speeds, predictably, our more congested cities and states have a far slower pace of traffic. Anyone who has ever driven in Washington D.C. knows that traffic is typically set to crawl, and TomTom's data shows that the median speed is a pokish 46 mph. Hawaii (53 mph); Delaware (61 mph); Rhode Island (63 mph); and Oregon (63 mph) are the next slowest states. Hit the jump to read over TomTom's press release, and tell us your favorite interstate for high speed motoring in the post-jump comments.

[Source: TomTom]

Continue reading TomTom data reveals U.S. drivers' average speed, fastest highway

TomTom data reveals U.S. drivers' average speed, fastest highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill to limit Canadian cars to 93 mph seems stuck in neutral

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Canada

When it comes to cars, they do things a bit differently in Canada. While our neighbor to the north has long been considered more progressive than the U.S., it was the United States that introduced pollution controls, and until recently, Canada never actually had any rules requiring them. The same goes for fuel efficiency standards. A couple of years ago, the government of Ontario passed a law that could result in automatic confiscation of your car if you exceeded a speed limit by more than 50 km/h (31 mph). This was done to attack the problem of street racing.

Member of parliament Jim Karygiannis apparently wants to make sure no one gets their car confiscated by making it impossible to drive that fast. Back in February, Karygiannis introduced a bill that, if passed, would make it illegal to sell, import, build or even loan a vehicle to someone unless said ride is fitted with a speed limiter restricting its maximum velocity to no more than 150 km/h, or 93 mph. So far, the bill has not proceeded past first reading, and it hasn't even gone to committee -- good news for Canadian drivers, to be sure. Frankly, there doesn't appear to be any widespread support for Jim Karygiannis's meddlesome legislation. Karygiannis actually introduced a similar bill during the previous parliamentary session, but that one never got past first reading, either. Maybe he should have taken the hint back then. Thanks to Steve for the tip!

[Source: Parliament of Canada]

Bill to limit Canadian cars to 93 mph seems stuck in neutral originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK tests 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation' tech that automatically regulates vehicle speeds

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 15 May 2009 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology, UK

Transport for London plans to begin a six-month trial of a new technology that will artificially limit the top speeds of taxis, buses and government fleet vehicles. Called Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), the system will keep track of speed limits all over London and prevent operators from accelerating past that legal limit. The device is capable of slowing the vehicle down regardless of the driver's wishes.

Alternatively, the system can be switched into an advisory mode that simply informs the driver when the speed limit has been reached. If these tests prove successful, it's likely that the ISA technology will be made available within the next 12 months to private motorists who wish to limit the top speed of their personal vehicles. So far, there's no indication that the government will mandate the use of the ISA system.

It's hoped that a large number of drivers will choose to equip their vehicles with the ISA technology. Transport for London believes that both accidents and road congestion would be drastically reduced, which would also have the desirable effect of reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

View Poll

[Source: Transport for London | Image: Edward Barnieh Photography]

Continue reading UK tests 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation' tech that automatically regulates vehicle speeds

UK tests 'Intelligent Speed Adaptation' tech that automatically regulates vehicle speeds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 May 2009 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Transport Canada to implement speed limiting device

Chris Shunk — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, First Drives

In an effort to thwart habitual speeding, Transport Canada has developed a new system that can make exceeding posted limits difficult or impossible. The device utilizes GPS and a speed limit map coupled with technology that caps a vehicle's top speed based on the legal speed of the road being traveled. Once the vehicle arrives at the predetermined speed limit, the device makes it very difficult to go any faster. For now, Canada is looking to slap this stingy speed governor on the vehicles of perpetual speeders and reckless drivers, but the technology could one day be used for all drivers. Lovely.

Luckily for drivers here in the States, a strict speed limit governor is just un-American, and legislators know it would be ~~very unpopular~~ politically suicidal to implement. Still, we're sure there'd still be some people willing to embrace technology like this. Heck, a lot of parents of 16 to 18 year-olds probably wouldn't mind purchasing this device to keep their teenagers in check.

[Source: Winding Road]

Transport Canada to implement speed limiting device originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hallelujah! Oklahoma busting slow drivers in left lane

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, First Drives

If there is anything worse than someone doing tortoise-like speed in the left lane, it's someone doing tortoise-like speed in the left lane and driving next to someone doing tortoise-like speed in the right lane. Oklahoma State Troopers aren't having any more of it and have begun enforcing the state's left lane law.

Section 41-11-301 dictates that "Upon all roadways any vehicle proceeding at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place under the conditions then existing shall be driven in the right-hand lane when available for traffic..." What this means is that unless you're doing at least the speed limit or are about to make a left turn, you need to stay out of the ~~left~~ passing lane or risk being pulled over by the guys with the flashing rooftop lights.

The OK troopers say this is about getting out of the way for police and emergency service vehicles who shouldn't have to wait for slower drivers to exit the left lane. But seeing that any rushing authority is usually going well over 65 MPH, and folks in the news video were being pulled over for doing 62, we don't see how 3 MPH would really make that difference. Not that we're complaining, because it takes all of our green tea and feng shui to stay calm when we rock up behind slowpokes in the ~~left~~ passing lane. For now, however, folks in OK getting pulled over receive nothing more than a warning. Soon, however, Oklahoma troopers will start handing out $206 tickets. If you want to know how your state feels about the matter, check out the list of "keep right" laws.

[Source: CNN]

Hallelujah! Oklahoma busting slow drivers in left lane originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aw Snap! Poll reveals most Germans want speed limit on Autobahn

John Neff — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:32:00 EST

Filed under: Europe

Three days ago we scoffed at an EU official's suggestion that a speed limit should be applied to the remaining sections of Germany's famous Autobahn that remain free to speed. While reports indicated that speed-loving Germans were up in arms over the idea, a recent poll shows that two in three believe a speed limit should be instituted. Whaa? Conducted by ZDF television, the poll showed that 54% of those surveyed favor an 80 mph speed limit, while 10% would like a limit even lower. There were still around 35% of the respondents, which would thankfully include German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee if he were polled, who don't want a speed limit at all.

The controversy over speed limits on the Autobahn stems from suggestions that an over excited right foot leads to lots of wasted energy, which obviously ain't too good for the environment. Interestingly, the survey also showed that 56% of those polled think flights should be taxed more because of their negative impact on the environment. Yeah, that's right! Cap our cars, we'll tax your planes!

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Aw Snap! Poll reveals most Germans want speed limit on Autobahn originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Decling death rates due to safer vehicles, not better drivers

Damon Lavrinc — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Safety

The number of fatal crashes on U.S. roads have steadily declined over the last few decades and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found that this has little do with a safer motoring public and more to do with safer vehicle design.

Their findings confirm what has been assumed for years, that as more safety equipment is added and eventually mandated, drivers who would have been killed years earlier in older models are now surviving with greater frequency.

The study also points to the lack of required seat belt usage in some states and the waning enforcement of DWI charges as worrisome developments. These concerns, coupled with speed limits that have steadily increased across the country, are providing the IIHS a bleak outlook on the future.

One glaring omission in the press release (printed after the jump) is the effect of driver training programs on new drivers and how further driver improvement is a necessity to decrease on-road fatalities.

Continue reading Decling death rates due to safer vehicles, not better drivers

Decling death rates due to safer vehicles, not better drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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