Portsmouth City Council
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Kill Your Speed
With the introduction of more safety cameras, and increased enforcement, adhering to the speed limit is becoming more and more important. Reducing your speed isn’t just about staying within the law, it’s about saving lives!Recent research indicates that 90% of pedestrians hit at 20mph will survive, but 90% of those hit at 40mph will die.
- Reducing your speed by just a few miles an hour can make the difference between life and death!
- Your car can kill or seriously injure a child. Two thirds of all fatal injuries to school-aged children occur on the road.
- Traffic is the biggest single killer of 12-16 year olds.
- Statistics show that in 2000, nearly 40,000 children were killed or injured on Britain’s roads. 22,500 were pedestrians and cyclists.
- Most child pedestrian accidents occur on residential roads.
- More children are knocked down in the summer months.
Typical stopping distances
All motorists need to be aware that even a small difference in driving speed could have a drastic effect on stopping distance, risking a crash that could injure or kill someone.
| MPH | Thinking Distance | Braking Distance | Total Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 6 metres | 6 metres | 12 metres (40 feet) or 3 car lengths |
| 30 | 9 metres | 14 metres | 23 metres (75 feet) or 6 car lengths |
| 40 | 12 metres | 24 metres | 36 metres (120 feet) or 9 car lengths |
| 50 | 15 metres | 38 metres | 53 metres (175 feet) or 13 car lengths |
| 60 | 18 metres | 55 metres | 73 metres (240 feet) or 18 car lengths |
| 70 | 21 metres | 75 metres | 96 metres (315 feet) or 24 car lengths |
Brakes
The condition of the vehicle you are driving, particularly your brakes, can have a great effect on your ability to stop your vehicle. It is vital that you have your vehicle regularly serviced and MOT'd to check the condition and adjustment of your brakes.
Many people believe that having anti-lock brakes (ABS) means their stopping distance is reduced. A recent investigation by the Police has proved this to be untrue, and showed that anti-lock brakes only act to prevent skidding.
Tyres
You need good tyres to drive safely. They are your only contact with the road and affect the steering, braking and acceleration of your vehicle.
In order for a tyre to be legal, it must have:
1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarter band of tyre and throughout the full circumference, with visible tread on the remainder.
Do you know the speed limits?
| Type of vehicle | Built up area | Single carriage way | Dual carriage way | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars and motorcycles (including car derived vans up to 7 tonnes maximum laden weight) | 30 | 60 | 70 | 70 |
| Cars towing caravans or trailers (including car derived vans and motorcycles) | 30 | 50 | 60 | 60 |
| Buses & Coaches (not exceeding 12 metres in overall length) | 30 | 50 | 60 | 70 |
| Goods vehicles (not exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight) | 30 | 50 | 60 | 70 |
| Goods vehicles (exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight) | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 |
