Slowing down traffic reduces traffic accidents. Beyond that, traffic accidents that occur at lower speeds are less likely to result in fatalities. Portland, OR experienced 23 deadly crashes in the first six months of 2013. This is a marked increase from the 17 in 2012 during the same number of months. Local police are stepping up targeted traffic enforcement to address this issue. But there are limitations to to this strategy, as officers can only be in one place at a time. This is where an installation of Radarsign driver feedback signs comes in. By alerting drivers to their speed, the natural inclination is to slow down.
That additional support for law enforcement makes streets safer by slowing speeding drivers and slower speed saves lives. According to AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, speeding triples the odds of crashing. The pedestrian fatality rates associated with speed are very sobering. If a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle traveling 20 mph, there is a 5% chance of fatality. This increases to 45% at 30 mph, and to a staggering 85% at 40 mph. As you can see, a slower speed of even 5 – 10 mph can help saves lives and make roads safe.
Charlie Robeson: Radarsign™ Co-founder & Director of Sales and Marketing