Raising the speed limits on highways could lead to more crashes on nearby roads, according to new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. This “spillover effect” creates unintended safety hazards for local communities that might not be involved in the decision-making process to raise the posted speed limit on a nearby highway. According to NHTSA, speeding is a significant safety concern, contributing to almost one-third of road fatalities in the past 20 years.
The AAA Foundation’s research reinforces the importance of the Safe System Approach (SSA) to leverage engineering and behavioral countermeasures to prevent traffic crashes and injuries.
– Cyndee Woolley, C2 Communications