Lincoln Ontario, Lower the Speed Limit in ALL Residential Neighbourhoods in
Lincoln Ontario, Lower the Speed Limit in ALL Residential Neighbourhoods in
50 Kilometre per Hour Speed Limits in Residential Neighbourhoods are UNSAFE! While currently 40km/hr limits exist in areas surrounding parks and schools, there are many streets where 50km/hr is the posted limit or unposted but fall under the 50km/hr unless otherwise posted under the traffic act. This puts pedestrians at risk especially children.
The Town has the ability to amend the traffic act bi-laws within their municipal limits. This is a call to action for the Town of Lincoln to lower the speed limit on ALL Residential neighbourhood roads from 50km/hr to 40km/hr. The proposal, is to STOP (after complaints from residents) individual Street traffic studies, spending time and resources and create a blanket change to the bi-laws to include every residential neighbourhood street within the municipality. Coupled with enforcement from the Niagara Regional Police Services (NRP) to regularly monitor our neighbourhoods for violators.
Lower speeds save lives.
Every 1.6 kilometer-per-hour (1 mph) reduction in vehicle speeds on urban streets results in a 6 percent decrease in traffic fatalities. Lower speed limits reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries for a combination of reasons. For one, driving at very high speeds can result in tunnel vision and decreased depth perception for the driver. At lower speeds, drivers have a wider field of vision and are more likely to notice other road-users.
At lower speeds, even if a crash does occur, the consequences will be less severe, especially if it involves a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist. A pedestrian has a 90 percent chance of survival if hit by a vehicle moving at 30 kmph (18.64 mph). This decreases to 70 percent at 40 kmph (24.85 mph) and less than 20 percent at 50kmph (31 mph).