15th ICTCT workshop speed behaviour 1 CONSIDERING THE INFLUENCE ON DRIVING SPEEDS OF “SPEED LIMIT REMINDER ” SIGNS

the issue of speed limits was under public discussion three times during the last decade. In 1993, speed limits were revised across the country, permitting a maximum speed of 50 kph on urban roads; 80 kph on an undivided non-urban road; 90 kph on a divided non-urban road and 110 kph on a motorway. In practice, speed limits on motorways were limited to 100 kph. This was done, following a proposal developed by a Speed Committee initiated by the Ministry of Transport, where the changes concerned mostly the increase of speeds allowed on high-standard rural roads. The second Committee on Speed Limits was established in 1995 with the purpose to examine possible negative consequences of the new speed limits. No significant worsening in the safety level of relevant road sections was identified thus enabling to keep the recent changes in the speed limits valid. In 2000, the issue returned to “the headlines ” once again, mostly following the international trends, e.g. a repeal of the national maximum speed limit in the USA and the development of speed management strategies in European countries. A professional Committee on Speeds was established, whose function was to consider possible implications of changes in speed limits as well as the accordance between the limits set and the actual road infrastructure. Th