Most pedestrians ‘would die’ if hit by car at 60km/h

THE majority of pedestrians struck by a car travelling at 60km/h will die, according to a study of the effects of speeding.

About half of all drivers exceed the speed limits at any one time, vastly increasing the chances of them or other road users being seriously injured or killed, according to the European Transport Safety Council.

They estimate that for every 5% increase in speed, the chances of causing a death increase by 20%.

The consequences are even more serious for pedestrians. If they are hit by a car travelling at 30km/h 5% will die, at 50km/h, the number rises to 45% and at 65km/h just 15% can expect to survive.

While Ireland now has the eight lowest number of road fatalities in the EU, there has been an increase in the number of drivers breaking the speed limits on better quality roads such as motorways, national primary and national secondary routes.

And the results of the faster speeds were obvious on these roads where there was an increase in the number of fatal collisions according to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), referring to the figures for 2006.

Noel Brett, chief executive of the RSA, said: “Some drivers believe that there are acceptable or safe levels of speeding, but such a view shows that we simply do not understand speed. We do not realise that a car driven at any speed is a lethal weapon”.

He added that there was a significant increase in the percentage of cars exceeding the 50km/h speed limit in urban residential areas. “We need to realise that five out of 10 pedestrians will be killed if hit by a car travelling at 50km/h.

“So the message is slow down,” he said.

The European Transport Safety Council says that because speeding is so widespread, there is great potential for improvement.

Gabriel Simcic of the council said: “Just by driving a bit more slowly every day each of us can contribute personally to saving lives and creating a healthier planet. It is not often such great causes can be achieved with so little sacrifice.”

Tougher speed enforcement, be it through more police on the roads, or the use of latest safety cameras, would save 5,800 lives a year, the European Commission estimates.

“EU member states should follow the examples of such countries as the UK, the Netherlands and France which have achieved great success in bringing down the rate of traffic deaths thanks to these devices.”