Loving 30
What is the benefit of lower speed limits, particularly in residential areas and around schools?
Dublin City Council is constantly working for and with the people of Dublin to improve road safety on all streets of the City. Therefore, traffic speed reduction for all vehicles plays a crucial role in improving road safety on City streets.
Speed is a major contributory factor to road deaths in the Republic of Ireland. Over 40% of fatal collisions are caused by excessive or inappropriate speed. Between 1997 and 2012, excessive speed contributed to 21% of our road deaths. This is equivalent to 1,162 lives (source: RSA).
Speed has been identified as a key risk factor in road traffic injuries, influencing both the risk of a road crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result from crashes
A 5km/h difference in speed could be the difference between life and death for a vulnerable road user like a pedestrian.
- Hit by a car at 60km/h, 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
- Hit by a car at 50km/h, 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
- Hit by a car at 30km/h, 1 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed
Figure 1: Illustration from the Road Safety Authority showing the impact of vehicle speeds on pedestrian fatalities.
In order to protect the larger numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users moving around in these areas and on the road carriageway. The introduction of 30km/h speed limit in all roads of the city except roads specifically listed in the bye-laws will make the city safer for more people to walk and cycle and will also assist in making the city a safer place for everyone.
What other countries or cities are introducing 30km/hr speed limits or the equivalent?
- Brussels will slow down. A 30 km/h speed limit will apply in the entire city
- Milan is the latest European city to announce plans to introduce 30 km/h zones.
Figure 1: Illustration from the Road Safety Authority showing the impact of vehicle speeds on pedestrian fatalities.
In order to protect the larger numbers of pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users moving around in these areas and on the road carriageway. The introduction of 30km/h speed limit in all roads of the city except roads specifically listed in the bye-laws will make the city safer for more people to walk and cycle and will also assist in making the city a safer place for everyone.
What other countries or cities are introducing 30km/hr speed limits or the equivalent?
- Brussels will slow down. A 30 km/h speed limit will apply in the entire city
- Milan is the latest European city to announce plans to introduce 30 km/h zones.
What is the next plan for introduction of lower speed limit in the city?
The Road Safety Section is doing an early engagement with all the city councillor, as it carried out the Workshop Loving 30. At the moment, it is producing a proposal that it will be shown at every Area Committee Meeting in March 2021 for councillors comments and feedback.
On the 10th of May 2021, the draft proposal for Speed Limit Bye-Laws 2021 will be presented at the Full Council Meeting. The Road Safety Section is aiming to receive the approval to commence statutory Public Consultation. We aim to start on the 7th of June 2021 the public consultation.