All too often the speeder is you or your neighbor hurrying to get to work or trying to make up for lost time in some personal or traffic-related delay. Perhaps slowing the pace of modern life might help alleviate the problem. This is because the City does not have, and indeed, could not afford a police force adequate to lie in wait for speeders in all residential areas nor can the problem be solved by engineering, for it is a "people problem," one that can only be solved by exerting sufficient social pressure on the offenders. However, law enforcement is not the only solution to the problem. There is no effective way to make people drive slowly without constant enforcement. Realistically, almost all of us speed, at least occasionally. However, because they are a hazard to emergency service vehicles, cyclists and some vehicles, the bumps are not allowed on public roads within the City of Kennewick.Ĭontrolling speeding is very difficult. Speed bumps are another frequently requested speed control measure. The result can be an increase in serious accidents. In fact many drivers, either purposely or inadvertently, "blow" improperly established stop signs. Stop signs create an expectation in drivers and pedestrians that all drivers will stop at them. When new stop signs are installed, overall speeds often increase because drivers tend to accelerate more rapidly after a stop and drive faster to make up for the lost time caused by the unwarranted stop sign. Stop signs are not really effective for this purpose for several reasons. New stop signs are often requested to help reduce speeding, particularly in residential neighborhoods. Speeding has become a way of life for many although residents may pass their own property within the speed limit, they have no hesitation zipping past their neighbors' property as fast as possible. Residential speeding is a major community concern. What About People Speeding on Residential Streets? When the City Council is satisfied that a change in the posted speed limit will actually achieve the intended results of safer roads, the change is then authorized. These studies include an analysis of roadway conditions, accident records, and a sampling of the prevailing speed of traffic. The City conducts a speed study when the designated speed appears to be unreasonable. Posted speeds, different from those prima facie speeds, may be established by the City Council on our city collector and arterial street system. These limits do not need to be posted to be enforced. Certain prima facie limits are established by State law and include 25 miles per hour in business and residential districts and 20 miles per hour in school zones when children are present or the yellow light is flashing. All other speed limits are called "prima facie limits," which are considered by law to be safe and prudent under normal conditions. Drivers violate the Basic Speed Rule when they drive ".at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent." Under Washington State law, the maximum speed limit in urban areas is 50 miles per hour. Roads with no posted speed are subject to the Basic Speed Rule. Drivers are less impatient, pass less often and tailgate less, which reduces both head-on and rear-end collisions. Traffic flowing at a uniform speed results in increased safety and fewer accidents. And when drivers do not maintain a common speed, accidents usually increase. When speeds are posted for less than a reasonable and safe speed, we tend to ignore the signs. Generally, about 85 to 90 per cent of us drive at a reasonable and safe speed. Blatant speeders are easily spotted, safe drivers are not penalized, and patrol officers aren't asked to enforce unrealistic and arbitrary speed limits. The posting of the appropriate speed limit simplifies the job of enforcement officers, since most of the traffic is voluntarily moving at the posted speed. As drivers, we are influenced by roadway and traffic conditions much more than by the posted speed limit. A common misconception is that by posting a lower speed zone, motorists will slow down. Speed zones (limits) are established based upon the concept of reasonable speed.
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