Tag: speed limit

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The Speed Limit on a Freeway Ramp

Q: What is the speed limit on an on- ramp, and when and where does it change? Where I live there is a street that turns into an onramp. This street has a 30 mph speed limit on it. The highway has a 65mph speed limit on it. When and where does that 30 end and the 65 begin?

A: My instinct is to say that onramps are part of the freeway infrastructure and subject to the same speed limits. But once you asked the question I realized that I couldn’t provide you with a law that led me to that conclusion. After searching through state law, the Code of Federal Regulations and the US Department of Transportation’s Freeway Management and Operations Handbook, I still can’t provide a direct quote from the law. That’s not to say it’s not out there, but I haven’t found it yet.

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Speed Limits in Construction Zones

Q: How slow should one drive while traveling in road construction areas (marked with orange signs, cones, and flags) if there isn’t a construction zone speed limit posted?

A: In Washington it seems like the four seasons are fall, winter, spring, and road construction. Last week I was nearly landlocked by all the construction projects happening between me and where I was trying to go. I’m not complaining; these projects needed to happen. It’s just that when reliably dry weather only lasts for a few months, lots of road construction projects get crammed into a short amount of time. With so many road projects in the works, it’s almost inevitable that we’ll encounter them in our routine driving.

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Traffic Law Vs. Safe Driving

Here’s a question that came up during a recent discussion about some of Washington’s traffic laws: Is obeying the law enough to make me a safe driver? If not, what is the standard?

A while back I had a conversation with my brother-in-law, a skilled carpenter. We were discussing building codes, and he said that if you build your house to code, you have a substandard house. His point was that code compliance is the bare minimum you can do in construction. There are building techniques that exceed code requirements that make your home stronger, more weather-tight, and capable of lasting many more years.

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Should Your Car Have a Speed Regulator?

Q: Why don’t governments impose a mandatory maximum speed regulator on all new cars? It could be limited to the maximum speed limit. The technology already exists and is cheap. It would make our roads safer, reduce congestion (traffic flow is smoother if all cars are traveling at roughly the same speed), reduce the high consumption of energy required to drive at high speeds, and instead of setting radar traps on our highways, precious police resources could do other important duties.

A: You’re right that we have the technology, but having the ability to do something and having the will to do something can often be as far apart as a full bladder and the next rest stop. Speeding is a real problem; from 2013 to 2017 speed was a factor in 47 percent of fatal crashes in Whatcom County. Speeding consistently competes with impairment for the number one factor in fatal crashes. Since the impacts of speeding are so great, shouldn’t it be easy to mandate a maximum speed that a car can drive?

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What’s The Real Speed Limit?

Q: After turning onto Portal Way to go north from Grandview Road the speed limit is 50 mph. Then in about a quarter mile it drops to 35 mph and then in about 50 feet it changes back to 50 mph. At first I thought it was because of the cars driving in and out from the storage units. But after I went back and double checked I saw it goes back to 50 mph before the driveway into the storage units. What’s the point of having the speed drop down to 35 mph? Are we supposed to slam on our brakes to slow down to 35mph only to have to accelerate again back to 50 mph?
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Headlights Aren’t Just For The Dark

Q: I am concerned about the significant number of drivers I see on our roads that do not turn on their headlights at dusk or when visibility is poor during the day light hours.  Many drivers seem to refuse to turn on their headlights when there is fog, drizzle, or other poor lighting. I’m sure they think that they can see just fine, but often I don’t see them until they have gone by in the oncoming lane. It seems to me that if drivers had their headlights on at all times (night and day) we might have fewer accidents during poor visibility conditions. What is the law on this? Continue reading “Headlights Aren’t Just For The Dark”

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Is Twenty the New Twenty-Five?

Q: I’ve noticed some cities changing their speed limits in neighborhoods and business districts from 25 MPH to 20 MPH. Does five miles per hour really matter for safety or is it just another way to discourage driving?

A: There is little doubt that some city planners would like less people driving cars on city streets. And not just city planners; when I drive through Seattle I often selfishly wish that less drivers were allowed on the road (as long as I’m still allowed, of course.) New roads are expensive and there isn’t always room for them; in crowded cities fewer drivers might be the best (even if unrealistic) option. However, I don’t think a reduction from 25 MPH to 20 MPH is part of that agenda. The data show that a five MPH speed reduction really does have an effect on pedestrian safety. Continue reading “Is Twenty the New Twenty-Five?”