Higher road speed limit advocated

Press, 30 April 1984, Page 8

Higher road speed limit advocated

PA New Plymouth The Defensive Driving Council has recommended a maximum speed limit of lOOkm/h in a submission to the Parliamentary Road Safety Select Committee. The council’s president. Major Bill Jamieson, said last evening that a higher speed limit, rather than encouraging faster driving, would legalise the status quo. The select committee, chaired by Mr M. J. Minogue (Nat., Hamilton West), has circulated a report prepared by the Ministry of Transport on open road speed limits and asked for submissions. Major Jamieson said the council had long taught that good driving involved keeping with the tempo of the traffic. A motorist who drove at 80km/h often held up traffic and this led to frustration, dangerous overtaking, and

more accidents, he said. The council had recommended a maximum speed limit of 100 km z h for cars and motor-cycles, 90 km h for buses and trucks, and 80km'h for cars with trailers. The Ministry should report after 12 months on the effect of this traffic mix. Major Jamieson said. An increase in the limit would release traffic officers from "fruitless policing” of speeding and give them time to prevent hazardous driving behaviour. He said that since 1973 when the maximum was 96km/h (60 miles an hour), there had been improvements in the surface and engineering of roads, safety features on cars had been improved, and suspension and braking had advanced technically. The council also advocated increased penalties for violation of a lOOkm/h limit.