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Speed Monitor Displays convey single message, and are
effective!
Highlights from the Utah Department of Transportation study
conducted by Brigham Young University*
- When the SMD (Speed Monitoring Display) was present,
average speeds decreased 6 percent.
- Mean speed reductions by 4-5 MPH
- Speed Monitor Displays also slow down vehicles with
radar detectors
- Survey of 622 motorists had 79% responding that SMD
conveys the message: “Check your speed and slow down". 87%
believe a Speed Monitoring Display encourages drivers to go
the speed limit.
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MPH Converted to Feet/Second
It's hard to imagine how many feet you travel in a vehicle at
different speeds. To give you an idea of how quickly you move
down a neighborhood street at even slow speeds, here is a
conversion chart. Consider that in many subdivisions, a lot size
is generally around 100 feet long on the street.
| MPH |
= |
Feet/Second |
Time to Travel 150 Feet |
20
25
30
35
40
45
50 |
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29.3
36.7
44.0
51.3
58.7
66.0
73.4 |
5.12 seconds
4.09 seconds
3.41 seconds
2.92 seconds
2.55 seconds
2.27 seconds
2.04 seconds
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FAST FACT*
A vehicle traveling 40 MPH will still be going 36 MPH when
they hit a person who suddenly appears in the street 100 feet
ahead of them. The average driver going 25 MPH would be able to
come to a full stop within 100 feet!
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FATAL INJURY CHANCES*
Studies have proved that slowing traffic down will greatly
reduce the chances of a fatal accident involving pedestrians and
automobiles. A small change in speeds has a dramatic effect. See
the statistics below.
| MPH |
FATAL INJURY CHANCES |
44
31
15 |
83.0%
37.0%
3.5% |
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NEIGHBORHOOD PROPERTY VALUES AFFECTED BY SPEEDERS!*
A study determined that for existing neighborhoods, when
typical speeds were lowered 5-10 MPH, noise levels for the
neighborhood went down. Correspondingly, home buyers perceived
the neighborhood as quieter and safer. Home values increases by
2% based on this added value to the overall worth of the
neighborhood.
Additional benefits of slower speeds were that of fuel
savings and lower emission levels by the vehicles.
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"Speeding is the cause of
32% of all highway fatalities"
- Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety |
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LINKS OF INTEREST
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How can I find out what my local government is doing about
neighborhood speeding issues?
Almost every incorporated city and county government has a
website. A quick ‘google’ search will usually turn up the link
to connect to yours. Once at the home page, you can find a
section on city or county government departments. There is
usually a department for public works, traffic, or
transportation. In these sections are the people responsible for
setting the rules about traffic calming solutions, and the
process involved for a neighborhood to become eligible for
government intervention. There are three states where all
traffic related decisions are made at the state DOT level.
Listed below is a sample connection for Baltimore County,
Maryland.
From the home page, scroll down and click on the Transportation link.
On the new web page, click on the Roads link.
Now click on the Traffic Calming link. This will bring up
a detailed PDF file containing the process for getting local
assistance with neighborhood traffic problems. There is also a
phone number for contact as well.
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Safe Teen Driving Club
PEDS.org