§What
is the safe speed and who decides?
¥ The core
tenet of reasonable traffic laws, safety and due process is that the super majority of people act in a safe and
responsible manner, and they do drive
safely for the conditions present. The engineering study quantifies the Òsuper majorityÕsÓ
reasonable and prudent consensus for that particular section of roadway, rather than
relying on the judgment of one or a few.
§Urban
roadways – 85th percentile
speed
§Urban,
50 mph plus 85th – 90th percentile
speed
§Rural
2 lanes* – mean plus 8 mph
§Urban
freeways* – mean plus 12 mph,
higher speeds low risk
§Rural
low volume roadways – higher speeds low risk
§Rural
Interstates – higher speeds low risk
¥