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RE: UNFAIR SPEED LIMITS
jwk3@po.CWRU.Edu (John W. Kale) writes:
JK> Where do these numbers come from? Exactly what is a "sub 30th
>percentile" speed? That is, are the percentiles based on long-term
>or short-term averages? Drivers usually slow down in a blinding blizzard,
>but are more likely to have an accident anyway. If I slow down to what
>would be 30th percentile speed on a clear day but is 90th percentile in
>bad weather, and have an accident, where is that accident tallied? At 90th
>or 30th percentile?
The 30th percentile would be the speed at which 30 out of 100 drivers
are driving at or less than (ie: 70 of 100 drivers are driving faster
than them.)
JK> Do you mean the stats in the chart below? They do no such thing.
>MOST of the countries on the chart are listed having higher speed limits
>AND higher death rates than the US, a pretty clear vindication of the
>"speed kills" point of view.
The numbers show quite clearly that there is no correlation between
posted speed limits and fatality rates. Other things are at work that
account for fatality rates and posted speed limits aren't one of them.
(Note also, that regrdless of the posted speed limits in North America,
limited access highways with the highest limits [ie: interstate
highways, 400-series highways in Canada] have much lower fatality rates
than highways with lower limits [that typically are not limited
access].
Tom
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