It is often the differences in speed that cause the most serious incidents. Perhaps this bit of news will mitigate some of that.
Ontario is looking at new regulations regarding traffic laws. The province is considering increasing the maximum speed limit allowed on major highways from 100kph to 120kph. Police groups seem eager to be part of the discussion and would like to see some proof that increasing the speed limit does not affect public safety rather than simply allowing people to get places faster. What we would most like to know is the effect on the outliers. If the speed limit is increased, what is the speed of the top ten percent of traffic – it isn’t going to be 120 kph.
What seems like a better idea than raising the speed limits – although it doesn’t have the wow factor – is the increasing of fines for people who go too slow in the fast lanes as this, what’s the phrase – level of obliviousness, poses far more risk to other road users as traffic continuously changes lanes to get around the slower vehicle. The minimum fine will be increasing from $60 to $150. The maximum fine will remain at $1000 – how slow do you have to be going for that fine?
Let’s be careful out there.
