As the debate over road safety versus driver convenience revs up, a controversial proposal recently sparked outrage and concern among motorists.

The suggestion of imposing a blanket speed limit across all streets received a chorus of disapproval, with some even calling it 'absolute madness'.

The Adelaide City Council proposed a speed limit of 30 km/h, which has been under review for over two years.

The proposed speed limit should make Adelaide's city roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

The proposal had three options:

• A citywide 30 km/h limit
• A 40 km/h limit for most roads
• A mix of both with major arterial roads staying at 50km/h.

However, the 30 km/h limit has ignited the most heated responses.

A councillor feared that the speed limit might affect locals' travel time and productivity. Image Credit: Pexels/Cameron Readius

Councillor Henry Davis did not mince his words when he condemned the idea.

'To my mind, this is absolute madness; you would shut down the city if that were the case,' Councillor Davis said in an interview.

'It's madness. I don't even know why we were sitting in a council meeting for about an hour and a half considering this as a viable option.'

The proposal also aimed to encourage 'riding in' with others, minimising car usage in the long run.

However, Davis argued that the slower traffic could have the opposite effect.

In the face of backlash, Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith reminded the public that the proposal was still in its early stages.

She highlighted the balance between safety and convenience.

'On one side, if you go to the road accident research people, they will tell you if you're hit as a pedestrian at 50 km/h, you've got a 90 per cent chance of dying,' Lord Mayor Smith said.

'Whereas if you're hit at 30 km/h, you've got a 10 per cent chance of dying. The other side of the argument is people's convenience and how easy it is to get around.'

With all this in mind, Lord Mayor Smith said that the proposal still has a 'long way to go'.

The proposal came in at a time when Australia started grappling with preventable road deaths.

As part of the National Road Safety Standards Agreement signed in 2021, Australia should halve road deaths by 2030.

However, the country saw a 17.4 per cent increase in the national road toll.

About 1,288 people have died on Australian roads during the past year, with no state or territory on track to meet the targets.

'The road toll is clearly a tragedy,' National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA) spokesman Peter Khoury lamented.

The debate over the proposed speed limit was just part of a larger conversation about road safety.

It raised critical questions about how cities could balance efficient transportation with the importance of protecting lives.

Key Takeaways

• Adelaide City Council proposed several speed limits to be applied across the city.
• The proposal received significant backlash, with a councillor criticising it as 'absolute madness' that could stifle the city's daily operations.
• Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith reminded locals that the proposal was still in the early stages and still has a long way to go.
• The proposal came after the national concern over road deaths, as road deaths have increased over the past year.

We want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the proposed speed limit changes in Adelaide? Would these measures improve safety, or would it create more problems? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section below.

 

[elaine41]

Instead of seeing an overall death rate from road accidents, how about telling us how many have died on the streets of Adelaide CBD. This would be a better indicator of the need to reduce speed to this ridiculous low range.

How about we also make pedestrians responsible for their own actions on the road instead of making the car driver responsible for keeping them safe? How many of the pedestrians who were hit were looking at their mobile phones instead of looking at the traffic around them as they stepped off the footpath in front of a moving vehicle?

Road safety is a 2-way street & this has to be taken into consideration when trying to reduce the road toll. Everyone must be held responsible for their actions in all circumstances.

 

[Pammyt]

Could be good to try.
I don’t like their chance of success as people can’t even stick to 50 kph in residential areas as it is. It seems most people are in a big hurry! Modern housing estates have such narrow roads - cars parked either side and not much room for cars to pass safely - still many drive like maniacs and tailgate anyone doing 50 kph. I remember some countries overseas have it working 30 kph in residential and ‘whatever you like’ on the autobahn.

 

[Greg350]

Instead of seeing an overall death rate from road accidents, how about telling us how many have died on the streets of Adelaide CBD. This would be a better indicator of the need to reduce speed to this ridiculous low range.

How about we also make pedestrians responsible for their own actions on the road instead of making the car driver responsible for keeping them safe? How many of the pedestrians who were hit were looking at their mobile phones instead of looking at the traffic around them as they stepped off the footpath in front of a moving vehicle?

Road safety is a 2-way street & this has to be taken into consideration when trying to reduce the road toll. Everyone must be held responsible for their actions in all circumstances.

"ridiculous low range" No, world's best practice. UK has many 20 mph zones (32 kph), Europe has 30 kph in busy areas, North America has many 15 mph zones (24 kph).

Pedestrians - not every pedestrian has the awareness required, old, frail people, children with their friends, blind, deaf, etc,
Further, low speeds are not just about hitting pedestrians ON the road. What happens when vehicles collide? Do they always stay ON the roadway, or do they often end up on the footpath? I know they end up on the footpath often, into buildings, etc, right where there maybe a large number of people.

Pedestrians are vulnerable road users, think of them, don't be selfish in your safe, enclosed vehicle.

 

[Free.lander]

absolute bloody madness-- We have cars not bloody horses and carriages
Slow speed creates frustration and that is a primary cause of accidents and road rage
Pedestrians are more often than not, responsible for the accidents because they are on phones, just step out with the expectations the car can stop on a cent piece, regardless of the speed
WE read a lot about how speed kills, but nothing about reaction times so at 5kph and a walker steps out , the few meters space is taken up by reaction time ==damaged pedestrian
If the council has nothing better to do with their time than to argue about speed limits, then the city must be perfect in every way, or the fools are not doing the job they are paid to do to improve the city.
Money would be better spent in teaching kids that cars take time to stop and they , the kids, have a responsibility for their own safety on the foot paths and roads.

 

[Beany]

I can see both sides, however saying that how many people walk while using their phone or have music playing and not keeping an eye on where they are going. My husband mentioned this when we were going into town Adelaide yesterday for an appointment, I don't believe once you hit the city you are able to do 50 for very long particularly when the traffic starts to bank up. I don't understand what the mayor means about pedestrians getting killed is she talking about the ones that just cross anywhere regardless of what is coming, or those who are on their phones and don't bother to look before they step out onto the road, or the people on bikes that also just ride onto the roads believing they have more right of way to cross where there are no lights and expect cars to slow or suddenly come to a stop. Yes there is a lot of road rage happening which is very sad and extremely dangerous, but pedestrians HAVE to take responsibility as well. A human verse's a metal object is a no brainer. Reducing the speed would be the answer if also educating pedestrians of all ages about following road rules.

 

[Bill MacL]

Bring back teaching common sense in primary schools.

 

[Trina G]

Bring back teaching common sense in primary schools.

Not only schools but parents as well!

 

[Greg Sharp]

While road deaths are a concern this proposal is absolutely ridiculous, we may as well get rid of our cars and ride horses everywhere and graze them in city parks

 

[PsMatt]

The grumbling about reducing the speed is amazing.
Has anyone looked at the average speed after travelling around the city, most would be surprised to see it would more than likely be under 30km/hr.
The time difference of travelling across the city at 50km/hr compared to 30km/hr, without stopping for trafficking lights, is approximately 90 seconds.
At 50km/hr it could cost someone's life compared to an injury and the years of stress knowing you have killed someone for the cost to you of 90 seconds.

 

[riskydave]

Bloody ridiculous.

 

[mylittletibbies]

100% foolproof way to eliminate road accidents,all leave our cars at home and walk.
At 30kph we might as well.

 

[Aussiegreg]

These idiots will have us go back to the days of someone has to walk in front of a car with a red flag. A great way of reducing the un-employment rate!

 

[Veggiepatch]

The grumbling about reducing the speed is amazing.
Has anyone looked at the average speed after travelling around the city, most would be surprised to see it would more than likely be under 30km/hr.
The time difference of travelling across the city at 50km/hr compared to 30km/hr, without stopping for trafficking lights, is approximately 90 seconds.
At 50km/hr it could cost someone's life compared to an injury and the years of stress knowing you have killed someone for the cost to you of 90 seconds.

A quick calculation means the distance travelled in 90 seconds at 50 kmh is 1.25 kms. At 30 kmh per hour, it drops to 0.75 kms.

What "city" are you speaking of? Bourke? Cloncurry? Horsham?

 

[NotNats]

HAHAHAHA - would like to see these people handle walking around in some of the places overseas

Ah well may as well go back to horse & cart, that will fix the problem.

 

[Veggiepatch]

In the ten years from 2013 to 2022, a total of 204 people were killed in Australia where the vehicle was travelling at 40 kmh or less.

Sounds like a REALLY smart idea. An idea without merit.

 

[Schisma]

How about a red flag carried in front of the vehicle and a 5 kph speed limit - almost no injuries that way. Insurance companies would be happy, too: fewer nose to tail collisions!
That, or a blanket 30 kph CBD zone, 40 kph on local streets (serving residences only) and 50 kph on feeder roads.
60+ speeds would be reserved for wider high-traffic zones ... although, isn't this where the main accidents occur?

I think while many councils are mindful of the dangers that large vehicle vs pedestrian (and cyclist) pose, some onus must surely go onto the drivers who are increasingly showing a lack of care while behind the wheel.

 

[Tommy Jones]

"ridiculous low range" No, world's best practice. UK has many 20 mph zones (32 kph), Europe has 30 kph in busy areas, North America has many 15 mph zones (24 kph).

Pedestrians - not every pedestrian has the awareness required, old, frail people, children with their friends, blind, deaf, etc,
Further, low speeds are not just about hitting pedestrians ON the road. What happens when vehicles collide? Do they always stay ON the roadway, or do they often end up on the footpath? I know they end up on the footpath often, into buildings, etc, right where there maybe a large number of people.

Pedestrians are vulnerable road users, think of them, don't be selfish in your safe, enclosed vehicle.

North America would NOT include the USA - I lived there for 8 years and the only slow zones are school zones and construction zones.

 

[DaddyRon]

And now they are legalising
e-scooters To use the roads, with no registration or licence required?
How many more accidents will this create,by these idiots taking over the road,and probably wizzing around faster, with no insurance if they cause an accident?
We don't need so called "experts" to tell us how we should live,and what we are allowed to do !!
A lot of us still have common sense, something that has disappeared because of this PC bullshit !!

 

[PsMatt]

A quick calculation means the distance travelled in 90 seconds at 50 kmh is 1.25 kms. At 30 kmh per hour, it drops to 0.75 kms.

What "city" are you speaking of? Bourke? Cloncurry? Horsham?

Adelaide!
Read the article and my comment would be great and then there would be less stupid comments.
Then again your response reflects a poor understanding of what you are reading.
The 90 seconds was the time difference between the two speeds for the distance travel across Adelaide's CBD. The distance travelled in 90 seconds is irrelevant.

Don't worry, you're in good company, according to quite a few of the other posts.