There’s no doubt that safety for children walking or biking to school is a number one priority for communities. But how can municipalities improve children’s safety as they walk to school? Does reducing speed limits near schools have an impact on the safety of students and pedestrians? Do drivers actually obey the new speed limits?
To answer these questions, a study published in the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, looked at 216 school zones in Edmonton where in 2014 speed limits were reduced from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. Speed and collision before-and-after data were provided by the city, allowing researchers to analyze whether the new speed limits were being followed, and if those new speed limits reduced the number of collisions.
The study, from the University of Alberta, confirmed that drivers did in fact reduce their speeds after 30 km/h signs were installed, with the average speed dropping from 46 km/h to 34 km/h.
Notably, the study also found that collisions involving injuries or fatalities decreased by 45%, and collisions resulting in injuries of children were reduced by 55%. The subsequent conclusion was that the reduced speed limits resulted in a safer environment for young students.
It “boils down to improving the safety of our children,” said Karim El-Basyouny, one of the principle authors on the report.
Children are considered vulnerable road users for several reasons: they are smaller, making them harder to see; they tend to make unpredictable movements; and they may have difficulty judging the distance of vehicles on roads. School zones cause particular risks to children given the areas are often congested with school buses, children crossing the streets, and parents dropping off their children.
Other than schools, the reduced speed zones may be implemented in other areas where children may be at risk like parks, playgrounds, and residential neighbourhoods.
The report “highlights the importance of conducting this kind of research and its implications on policy making,” El-Basyouny said. It provides a source of scientific backing for policy-makers to prove that speed zone reductions have an impact on the safety of students.
Edmonton is a city that is focused on reducing fatal and serious injuries in road collisions, as well as promoting sustainability by encouraging the use of active modes of transportation like biking and walking. The before-and-after research provided can help show the impact of reducing speeds on collisions, particularly in areas where walking and biking activity is high.
The number of school zones assessed in this study also sets it apart from other research on the same topic. “The inconsistencies of the findings in the literature as well as the lack of rigorous studies on the topic” were some of the reasons a broader study was needed, El-Basyouny explained. Other studies saw mixed results in terms of speed limit compliance and reduced collisions with sample sizes of 15–40 school zones. The broader 216 school zones, all in the same city, provides a solid understanding of the effects of reducing speeds in school zones in a Canadian city.
Read the full paper: Are school zones effective in reducing speeds and improving safety? in the Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering.
