http://www.tempo160.at/index.php?Page=Teststrecke.php

The website is in Austraun/German, but just to summarize it:

It is a project that introduces a speed limit of 160 on a motorway stretch that last 12 km somwhere in Austria

Reasons:

- technology and the driver education as advanced
- a more flexible speed limit that adapts to the weather and traffic conditions is anticipated to be accepted better by the population as the reasons for speed limits are made more transparent to the people so they have a chance to understand the reason for the speed limits better

What about the environment?

- a flexible speed limit can control traffic flow better and help to save energy

Increased noise?

- no - as there is less acceleration and deacceleration, therefore the noise is not increasing and kept even lower as the traffic flow is controlled in a more harmonic way

More dangerous?

- during the project phase there have been no accidents.
- the road has been build in a safe way so that enough road ahead is always visible, even in curves.
-The aim is to reduce accidents by getting the drivers to accept speed limits by introducing more freedom.
- comparisons show that the speed limit is not directly related to accidents

What about lorries?

- Lorries are not allowed to overtake other lorries or cars and must not change lanes on stretches with a limit of 160

Saving more time?

- is the time savings not minimal if the speed limit is only 160 ?
on the website it says "the aim is not the increase of the speed limit in the first place but a better traffic control and more harmonic traffic flow and to avoid traffic jams

I agree with it Toby. I have to admit to going at 90 down the motorway often and there are cars whizzing passed me!!! It's not the speed that causes the problem, but human error.

Ok, so we all know that the faster you go, the more chance there is of a tragedy, but as you're likely to be wiped out at 70/80 anyway, the only difference the faster speed will make, is that the pieces to clear up will likely be smaller.

Fast is something like:

http://www.myvideo.de/watch/14981

The most important thing is the safety distance so you always have enough time to react if there is an accident in front of you...and a safe car

The funny thing in the UK is that many people do drive faster...so the real average speed is a lot higher.

And at the same time speed limits on country roads are the same as on the motorway! On motorway it is too low on country roads it is far too fast.

In town centers the speed limt is a lot higher in the UK then in Germany - and this is where most accidents occur - and as traffic lights for pedestrians in the UK are ignored and even the police and old grannies cross red lights - the total number of casualities could be reduced by tackling the traffic in town centers instead. Everyone ignores the traffic lights as a pedestrian..and I dont wanna know how many people die there every year. So i dont understand why this is acceptable but at the same time people are patronized with ridiculous speed limits on motorways