After introducing motorized vehicles to the general population in the 20th century, roads have become profoundly dangerous. The danger imposed by cars moving at high speed involves injuries and fatal accidents among both pedestrians and drivers. In response to the public health threat, the government has applied various rules and regulations to driving, including speed limits. Arguably, of all the road policies, speed limits have proved to be most effective in regulating speed. Nevertheless, some people complain about speed limits since they may waste individuals’ time and act against their rights and interests. However, roads are too dangerous without regulations, and optimal speed limit policies reduce the threat while not applying unreasonable limitations, making subjective complaints not viable.
Roads have become a dangerous place since the invention of motor vehicles. Without regulations, roads impose a threat to both pedestrians and drivers. The danger of road accidents if there are no speed limits comes from at least two sources. First, an empowered personal factor is involved if no speed limits are present. While driving at high speed, it is generally more difficult to maintain vehicle control, which may result in an accident. Moreover, individuals may not choose optimal driving speed appropriate for particular situations. Second, higher speeds involve additional pressure on the motor vehicles, which may increase the chances of its breakdown, and multiply the potential damage in case of its malfunction. In this regard, the dangers of roads without speed limits show the necessity of imposing speed regulation on modern roads.
In addition, the lifesaving effect of speed regulations has been proven by statistical evidence. Recent research shows that roads with regulated speed have lower chances of fatal accidents and injuries in comparison with unregulated traffic (Castillo-Manzano et al. 289). Moreover, the study indicates that higher speed limits correlate with increased traffic fatalities (Castillo-Manzano et al. 289). In simple terms, the higher the allowed speed, the more road accidents tend to happen. This facts highlight the importance of speed laws in public health protection.
Finally, advanced speed limits protect people’s lives and are adapted to mitigate the adverse social effects of the regulations. Speed limits are adjusted to the fact that their effectiveness varies for different roads. More strict limits regulate the areas where it is reasonable to maintain low speed, while others require only slight regulations (Castillo-Manzano et al. 289). In other words, speed limits depend on the road’s probability of an accident and its potential damage. For instance, in downtowns and other places with high traffic density and an increased likelihood of a collision, speed limits tend to be lower, while the allowed speed is higher in rural or suburban areas. In addition, in case of intense social situations and emergencies, laws may allow exceed speed limits. For example, ambulances and police officers can ignore speed regulations if there is a life-threatening situation when time is a crucial factor. Evidently, speed limits are applied according to their effectiveness and necessity, which varies in different areas.
In conclusion, speed limits play a profound role in protecting the general population on roads while adopting to reduce negative social consequences of the limitations. Without proper regulations, modern roads impose a significant threat to individuals’ lives. As a result, speed limits have been introduced and have proved to be effective in decreasing the number of fatal accidents and injuries while preventing unnecessary adverse effects of the limitations. Therefore, it is unreasonable to suggest that speed limits should not be applied to road traffic.
Works Cited
Castillo-Manzano, JosĂ© I., et al. “The Complex Relationship Between Increases to Speed Limits and Traffic Fatalities: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis.” Safety Science, vol. 111, no. 1, 2019, pp. 287-297.