The speed limit on rural and local roads will change from 80km/h to 60km/h on Friday morning.
So we are all to slow down?
That is the plan, and it is now the law, with the speed limit on rural and local roads being reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h.
And why is this happening?
Because slowing down saves lives. Reducing speed limits is part of the Government’s road-safety strategy and is one of a range of measures intended to reduce fatalities and protect all road users. The aim is to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 50 per cent over the next five years.
That is ambitious, will the plan be achieved?
The new Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien is certainly optimistic. “Today’s speed limit reduction will save lives,” he said. “Driving at a lower speed means that if you get into a collision, either as a driver or a vulnerable road user, death or serious injury is a significantly less likely outcome. It also means you are less likely to be involved in a collision at all.”
Well, that is good news. Remind me again, what exactly are local and rural roads?
In essence our roads are divided into three groups - local, regional and national. Local roads make up more than 82,000 of the State’s roads and they largely cater for local traffic (as the name suggests) and provide access to homes, farms and small towns and villages across the country.
What about urban centres?
Today’s changes do not impact local roads in urban areas, although a speed limit reduction covering them is coming later this year.
And how will I know which roads are impacted?
Local authorities have received grant funding from the Department of Transport to buy and install poles and signs to display the new speed limit on the relevant roads. The affected roads are designated with an “L” followed by a number, or do not have a number.
What? The signs might or might not have a number? That isn’t very helpful.
Well, the key thing is the rural speed limit sign. it is going to be used as an alternative to numeric speed limit signs on specific single lane rural roads, and if you see that it means that a maximum 60km/h limit is in force.
What does it look like?
You should probably know that by now given that it is an internationally used system that has been in place for a decade. A rural speed limit sign features a black circle on a white background with diagonal black lines. Until today it meant drive at a safe speed but never more than 80km/h. Now it means drive at a safe speed, but never more than 60km/h.
How will the new limits be enforced?
Pretty much the same as all speed limits, really. The Department of Transport has been working with the Garda and other stakeholders to make sure that the 60km/h limit is implemented and more importantly enforced.
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