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Speed limits are often taken for granted and, until a problem arises, most
people pay little attention to them. When traffic problems occur,
concerned citizens frequently ask why we do not lower the speed limit.
There are widely held misconceptions that speed limit signs will slow the speed
of motorists, reduce collisions, and increase safety. Most drivers drive
at a speed which they consider to be appropriate, regardless of the posted speed
limit. "Before and After" studies have shown that there are no
significant changes in average vehicle speeds following the posting of new or
revised speed limits. The following information will help you
understand how speed limits are established, and what they can and cannot do.
"Reasonable and Prudent" -
Wisconsin law says you must drive within what's called a "reasonable and
prudent" limit. That means you not only have to obey the posted speed
limit, you must drive a vehicle no faster than is reasonable and prudent
under the conditions.
 | Weather conditions such as fog, rain, ice or snow
as well as heavy traffic or congestion mean you have to reduce your
speed to the point where you're able to control the vehicle and avoid
colliding with any object, person or vehicle. |
| Other conditions requiring you to slow down are:
approaching and crossing an intersection or railway grade crossing,
when approaching and going around a curve, when approaching a
hillcrest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway, when
passing school children, highway construction or maintenance workers
or other pedestrians. |
Statutory Speed Limits -
These are the
generally established legal speed limits (in miles per hour or MPH) a
motorist must obey, and the conditions under which they apply. Limits
may differ from these guidelines when indicated by official traffic
signs.
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 | When passing a school when children are going to
or from school or are playing within the sidewalk area near the
school. |
| When passing an intersection marked with a
"school crossing" sign when children are present. |
| When passing a safety zone occupied by
pedestrians and at which a public passenger vehicle has stopped to
receive or discharge passengers. |
| On any street or town road, except a state
highway or connecting highway, within or near a public park or
recreation area when children are going to or from or are playing.
This limit applies when the local city or town has enacted an
ordinance and posted the limit and where motorists would enter the
street from an area where a different speed limit is in effect.
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| In any alley.
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| On any highway within the corporate limits of a
city or village, other than on highways in outlying districts.
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| On any service road within the corporate limits
of a city or village.
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| In any outlying district within the corporate
limits of a city or village. |
| On any highway in a semi-urban district outside
the corporate limits of a city or village. |
| On any town road where on either side of the
highway within 1,000 feet the buildings in use average less than 150
feet apart. This limit applies when a city or town board has adopted
an ordinance determining such a speed limit and has posted signs.
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| On any highway designated as a rustic road.
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| In the absence of any other fixed limits or the
posting of limits as required or authorized by law.
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| On any freeway or expressway, when official signs
specifying this limit are posted. |
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Some of the questions most frequently asked are answered below:
Q: Can local authorities modify statutory speed limits?
A: State law allows limited changes to statutory speed
limits if those changes are based on an engineering and traffic investigation.
Q: What is considered in an engineering and traffic
investigation?
 A:
Traffic engineers and police officers
examine many traffic and road conditions to determine a reasonable speed limit.
Speed studies are performed to determine the 85th percentiles speed, or the
speed that 85 out of 100 vehicles travel at or below. This speed is based
on the principle that reasonable drivers will consider road conditions when selecting
their speed of travel. Other conditions evaluated include number and type of crashes, number of cars, pedestrians, and bicycles, along with physical conditions of the road such as
sidewalks, hills, curves, lanes,
driveways, intersections, roadway surface, and traffic controls.
Generally speaking, a safe and reasonable limit is set at or below the speed
at which 85% of the drivers drive. Posting an appropriate speed limit simplifies
the job of enforcement officers, since most of the traffic is voluntarily moving
at the posted speed. Blatant speeders are easily spotted, safe drivers are not
penalized, and patrol officers aren’t expected to enforce unrealistic and
arbitrary speed limits.
Q: How can I get a speed limit sign placed on my street to slow traffic?
A: The most common misconception about speed limits is that putting up
a sign will slow the speed of traffic, reduce accidents, and increase safety.
The truth is, most drivers drive at a speed that they consider to be
comfortable and safe, regardless of the posted speed limit. The City of River
Falls does not usually install signs on most residential streets, but instead
relies on the Wisconsin Vehicle Code 25 MPH limit. Studies have shown that there
are no significant changes in average vehicle speeds following the posting of
new or revised speed limit signs. Furthermore, there is no direct relationship
found between posted speed limits and accident frequency.
However, there are ways to slow down drivers on your street:
| Increased Enforcement - This requires an officer to ticket those drivers
driving at excessive speeds. |
| Speed Monitoring Awareness Radar Tool (Smart Trailer) |
The City has a radar device, mounted on a small trailer, to clock vehicles
and exhibit their speed on an oversized display board. The device has helped
control chronic speeding problems by letting motorists know when they are
exceeding the limit. This device is set up by the River Falls Police Department
upon request and availability.
Q: Can I get the speed limit lowered on my street to make it safer?
A: No, lower speed limits do not
necessarily improve safety. The more uniform the speeds of vehicles in a traffic
stream, the less chance there is for conflict and crashes. Posting speed limits lower or higher than
what the majority of drivers are traveling produces two distinct groups of
drivers - those attempting to observe
the limit and those driving at what they feel is reasonable and prudent. These
differences in speeds may result in increased crashes due to tailgating,
improper passing, reckless driving, and weaving from lane to lane. Inappropriate
established speed limits
also foster disregard for other speed
limits, traffic signs, and contribute to driver frustration.
Also, posting speed limits lower than the
85th percentile speed does not result in voluntary motorist compliance with the
posted speed limit unless there is strict, continuous, and visible
enforcement.
Increased enforcement is effective only at the immediate time and in the area
where the police officer is present. The availability of police officers is
limited and their services must be shared with other police responsibilities.
Since these lower speed limits cannot be properly enforced, they will be
consistently violated and will breed disregard for speed limits in general.
Q: Why not install stop signs,
traffic signals, speed bumps, or some other device to reduce speeds?
A:
Traffic control devices are designed
and installed to solve a particular problem. When they are misused for speed
control purposes, they are ineffective and may create a hazard. For example:
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Stop signs are designed to control
traffic at busy intersections. When used to reduce speed, motorists "roll"
through them, then increase their
speed between such signs. |
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Traffic signals are designed to control large volumes
of traffic at very busy intersections or to reduce broadside crashes. When
misused, they may cause drivers to speed up to "beat the light" and may increase
crashes. |
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Speed bumps are hazardous to all vehicles especially emergency
vehicles, bicyclists, motorcyclists, school buses, and snow plows. |
Q: Why wait until someone is seriously
injured or killed before anything is done about speeding?
A: After a serious crash, speeding is
often assumed to be the cause. This may not always be true. While crash
experience is one of the factors considered in establishing speed limits, it is
not the only one--or even the major one. The prevailing 85th percentile speed is
the primary factor used to establish a proper speed limit, even if there have
been no crashes.
Q: I am only one person among thousands
of other drivers. What can I do to reduce the speeding problem in my
neighborhood?
A: Speed limits are based upon studies
of driving speeds - yours, your neighbors, and a percentage of everyone
traveling on a roadway. Please obey the speed limit, not only on your street but
on all streets and highways.
Q:
Will increasing the speed limit make the road more dangerous?
A:
Increasing speed limits does not decrease safety of the
roadway. The more uniform the speeds of vehicles in a traffic stream,
the less chance there is for conflict or crashes. It is
recommended that speed limits be set to within 10 miles per hour of the
85th percentile speed. This information is consistent with
recommendations and supporting data provided by the Wisconsin DOT, Minnesota
DOT, Michigan DOT and Iowa DOT. Based on various studies by these
agencies, it was determined that the majority of motorists did not
increase their speed by 5-10 miles per hour when speed limits were
raised, nor did they reduce their speed by 5-10 mph when speed limits
were lowered.
Concerned
citizens may think that increasing the speed limit would then increase
the 85th percentile speed, thus needing a higher speed limit, resulting
in a never-ending escalation of speeds. Numerous studies have been
performed to prove this is not true. Various study results have
shown little or no change in the 85th percentile speed, although some
show a slight increase in the average speed. The increase of the
average speed is due to the group of people who follow the posted limits
increasing their speed to match the new limit.
In summary, the driver is responsible for traveling at a safe speed, based on
the weather (rain, snow, high winds); visibility; traffic; roadway conditions;
and at a speed which does not endanger the safety of persons or property.
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