Vehicles driven over the speed limit are a problem all around the world - particularly in zones where people are either nearby or crossing the road. Such areas often already have a reduced speed limit to minimize accidents, and include school zones, hospitals, residential areas or other places with a high volume of pedestrians, especially children and elderly people.
Pedestrian safety
SENSYS® Traffic has developed a speed zone enforcement system, based on the fixed speed enforcement system, not only to enforce the speed limit but also to act as a warning system. The latter device has two purposes – to warn the driver of the vehicle and to warn the pedestrian. Our unique multi-tracking radar means that vehicles can start to be detected at a distance of 150 meters. The long tracking time of the radar enables both the pedestrian and the driver to be warned at an early stage. The standard system uses an audible alarm to warn the pedestrian in the area and a visual alarm to warn the driver of the vehicle. The speed zone enforcement system is non intrusive which means that no devices are buried in the road surface.
According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign® across the United States in the year 2000, pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children aged 5 to 14. Each year, 650 pedestrians aged 14 and under die in motor-vehicle-related traffic accidents in the United States. An additional 20,000 children suffer from motor-vehicle-related pedestrian injuries. The total annual cost of traffic-related pedestrian death and injury among children aged 14 and under is more than $7.2 billion.
National SAFE KIDS Campaign®
SPEED SURVEY RESULTS » 63 SCHOOL ZONES, SEPTEMBER 2000
One third (32,7%) of drivers were traveling at speeds of 30 mph or above.
6,6% were traveling 40 mph or above.
Two-thirds (65,3%) of all vehicles were traveling over the posted speed limit.
Almost one quarter (23%) of vehicles were traveling at least 10 mph in excess of the posted speed limit.
Nine out of ten (88,9%) schools had at least one safety measure present.
More than 10% had none.
A total of 16.714 vehicle speeds were captured in 63 school zones located in 29 cities across the United States.
The average vehicle speed collected in the survey, regardless of posted speed limit, was 26 mph.
The percentage of drivers traveling over the speed limit varied by site, with the highest percentage of speeders in the lowest posted speed zone.
There was no significant difference in vehicle speeds in the morning compared to the afternoon.
Posted speed limits ranged from 15 mph to 35 mph with the most (38%) at 25 mph.
Related links
Work zone enforcement | Options | Back office solution