Sir, – It is clearly extremely dangerous to exceed a speed limit by 40km/h in a built up area, where there are narrow roads and lots of turns, where children are playing or going to school, and where parked cars and other obstacles are commonplace. Even without seeing the sign showing the speed limit, it is obvious to a driver they are in an area where the speed limit is at most 50km/h, and that to travel at 90km/h would be madness.
However, if driving on an open road where the speed limit has been 100km/h, but then without any obvious change to the road or driving environment is reduced to 60km/h, motorists might find themselves unwittingly travelling 40km/h over the limit if they haven’t seen the sign showing the new speed limit.
When the relationship between road conditions and the speed limit is not obvious, the only way a driver can know the level of the speed limit is from the sign(s) showing that limit.
With Shane Ross’s new proposal being approved, road authorities should be encouraged to review speed limits around the country to ensure they are in keeping with the standard for the road in question. If a change in speed limit of over 30km/h occurs where it wouldn’t be obvious to the driver that the road is any different to the road they were just driving on with the higher speed limit, then considerable additional signage should be added. – Yours, etc,
COLIN WALSH,
Templeogue, Dublin 6W.