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Old December 19th 17, 12:55 PM posted to uk.rec.driving,uk.rec.cycling,uk.legal
TMS320
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Default Reducing speed to 20mph created more deaths than injuries

On 19/12/17 09:25, Handsome Jack wrote:
Brian Reay posted
On 18/12/2017 09:59, Bod wrote:
On 18/12/2017 09:41, Bod wrote:
A council has said that 20mph zones recently introduced in its area
will stay despite a rise in the number of deaths and injuries.

Â*Â*Bath and North East Somerset Council spent £871,000 bringing in
theÂ* 13 new speed zones just 12 months ago. Woman openly admits she
lovesÂ* her dog more than her only child But one year on, a report
has foundÂ* that the rate of people killed or seriously injured has
gone up inÂ* seven out of the 13 new 20mph zones. The report,
published in May 2017Â* by Bath and North East Somerset Council, says
this is a national trend.



What a pity the report doesn't cite the actual numbers of accidents.
Perhaps they are so insignificant that no inferences can be drawn.
Perhaps in the wards where accidents increased, they increased by only
one each, while in the ward where they decreased, they decreased by 10
each.

Perhaps the annual variations in accident numbers were large *before*
the 20mph limits were introduced, perhaps much larger than the
variations after introduction. Which would suggest that several more
years of data are needed.


Quite. If the death rate was so high that it is possible to notice a
change just one year after the alterations, it seems that they had a
much bigger problem to solve than putting in 20 limits.

Even if they can find something statistically significant after just a
year, perhaps it is because it takes time for people to adjust to the
changes. For instance, perhaps they find their old crossing points are
no longer convenient or optimum and they have to find new ones.

But is 20mph the only change that has been introduced? How about changes
outside the zones that have moved traffic into them? Light controlled
crossings, perhaps? - these encourage risk taking amongst people that
don't want to stand and wait.

But if the changes make people *feel* safer to be out and about, then in
one respect, it must be considered a success. Residential roads that
feel intimidating can't be a valid safety measure.

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