New research by Royal Holloway College, London University, studied the perceptual limitations of children and concluded that they had difficulty detecting cars approaching at speeds over 20mph. A number of local authorities around Britain have reduced road casualty figures and increased the quality of life in residential areas by introducing introduced 20mph limits.
Prof John Wann, one of the authors of the report, told The Daily Telegraph “Driving over 20mph in a residential or school area not only increases the potential severity of any impact, but also increases the risk that a child will injudiciously cross in front. There’s strong evidence that children may make risky crossing judgements when vehicles are travelling at 30 or 40mph. The vehicles that they are more likely to step in front of are the faster vehicles that are more likely to result in a fatality.”
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said; “The fact that children find it difficult to judge the approach speed of vehicles travelling at over 25mph is yet another argument for 20mph limits in the streets where people live, work and play.”
The City of London is currently considering whether to impose a 20mph speed limit across much of the Square Mile.
http://www.eta.co.uk/2011/03/22/new-research-bolsters-case-20mph-speed-limits?utm_campaign=apple+01.04.11&utm_medium=email&utm_source=The+Environmental+Transport+Association
