Safe Speeds

Research into Safe Speeds examines the relationship between vehicle speeds, speed limits, and road crashes.

50km speed sign

Our Safe Speeds research is primarily conducted through the internationally recognised Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) and areas of focus include:

  • predicting and evaluating the effect of changing speed limits, speed cameras and infrastructure
  • understanding issues affecting community acceptance of speed management initiatives
  • monitoring the speeds of individual vehicles or at specific locations
  • measuring vehicle speeds in a systematic way to track them over time.

Our Safe Speeds work benefits, and is of immediate relevance to, all road users, whether they be drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists or pedestrians. It also influences government policy and practice, and is of great value to organisations operating vehicle fleets or private roads.

  • Research Impact

    Our researchers are dedicated to:

    • reducing the number of people injured and killed on the road
    • quantifying the effect of speed on road crashes
    • contributing to a knowledge base on the benefits of speed management.

    Our Safe Speeds work regularly translates to significant real-world outcomes. For example, CASR’s quantifications of speed and crash risk have been used as part-justification for lowering speed limits around Australia, which has saved hundreds of lives and countless road crash injuries.

    CASR’s methods of monitoring vehicle speeds and evaluating interventions aimed at lowering speeds have also been widely implemented.

  • Consulting Services

    We regularly provide independent professional advice on road safety matters dealing with vehicle speeds to government and non-government organisations in Australia and overseas.

  • Our researchers

    We have expertise across a wide range of areas. Many of our researchers are available to assist with research project supervision for Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy students.

    Research team Expertise
    Craig Kloeden Speed data analysis; Speed and crash risk; speed measurement
    Associate Professor Jeremy Woolley Harm reduction speed policy; Enforcement; Speed and crash risk
    Associate Professor Paul Hutchinson Speed data analysis; Effects of speed on impacts; Pedestrian impact testing
    Dr Christopher Stokes Safe system speed policy; Speed limits; Speeds reductions through infrastructure treatments
    Sam Doecke Speed and crash risk; Crash reconstruction; Event data recorders
    Simon Raftery Community attitudes to speed; Recidivist offenders; Safety marketing

    To enquire about consulting services or working with us on a research project, please contact:

    Craig Kloeden

    Research Fellow, Centre for Automotive Safety Research

    Visit Researcher Profile

     

  • Collaborations

    We collaborate with various industry and government organisation, including: