According to Brake, The Road Safety Charity a pedestrian that has been hit at 30mph has a one in five chance of being killed. If the speed rises just 5mph more, to 35 mph, this chance increases to a one in 3 chance of death. These stats show the importance of driving safely within speed limits and the devastating consequences that can occur if they are ignored.


There are several ways to try and have a positive impact and help to reduce speeding, thereby reducing unnecessary fatalities and injuries to pedestrians in particular...


Speed Limit Signs

Speed signs provide drivers with information regarding the maximum safe speed limit for a given space / road and serve as a visual reminder to drivers to make them consider their speed and adjust it accordingly if needed.

  • They help to calm traffic especially in areas with high pedestrian footfall, for example in residential areas, school zones and car parks. This improves safety for pedestrians, cyclists and other more vulnerable road users.

  • Lower speeds result in shorter stopping distances and reduces force upon impact, this helps to mitigate the severity of accidents.

  • Speed signs can also foster community engagement, as they can involve residents in decisions regarding traffic management and road safety in their area. In fact, often it is local campaigners that help to get a speed limit sign reduced in particular areas.

We provide both 5mph speed signs and 10mph speed signs. These are class 1 reflective signs that are designed to reflect light from wide angles, giving a higher grade of reflectivity. They are designed to be visible at any time of day and are especially useful in low light conditions or at night time. They are an excellent way to indicate the chosen speed limit for car park management, private traffic routes, construction areas and industrial estates. These signs help users to consider their speed and minimise the risk of accidents.


Speed Bumps
Speed bumps are another excellent traffic calming method. Road users are physically impacted by them and therefore forced to slow down for both a smoother ride and to avoid damaging their car. If you have speed bumps on your premises it is important to make sure they are signposted correctly to warn drivers that they are there. Speed Bump Road Signs are an indication to drivers to reduce their speed so that they can go over them in a safe manner, which in turn makes it safer for any pedestrians or vulnerable road users.

Community Speedwatch
There are also opportunities across the country to join in with Community Speed Watch initiatives. You can Register via the Community Speed Watch UK Website to show your support and help raise awareness of the dangers surrounding speeding. The initiative is driven by volunteers in conjunction with the police. It provides a visual deterrent and helps to raise awareness surrounding the issue of speeding and speeding related accidents. A small group of volunteers are given a speed detecting device and a speed watch sign. They then monitor the speed of vehicles as they go by, if they are exceeding the limit then the speedwatch programme can get letters sent to their address and if further infractions occur then the police can also get involved.

Speeding
Overall, speeding is a multifaceted issue that can impact safety, the community and all road users. To try and counteract the issue speed signs, community speedwatch and other traffic calming measures can be used; And when working together in tandem these can have a significant long-term impact on traffic behaviour, road safety, and community well-being. All of these methods help to improve pedestrian safety and can help to reduce both the severity and number of accidents there are, due to speeding, by promoting safer driving practices.