Merc says we should drive faster

[mech81]

<b>Australians need to go faster - and slower - to improve safety on the country's roads. </b>

Freeway limits should be boosted as high as 140km/h, but many country and suburban roads need to take a cut, according to Mercedes-Benz safety guru Dr Ullrich Mellinghof.

He is also calling for more driver training and a better attitude to driving after his first experience on Australian roads.
"The government should think about a bigger differential in the speed limit," says Mellinghof, who heads all safety work at Mercedes-Benz in Germany. On the highway it is too low. In many situations it is too high. I think they must find a compromise."
He tells Carsguide he was shocked during a long-distance drive from Melbourne to Sydney during his first visit to Australia for a series of road-safety workshops.
"A lot of people drive very smoothly on country roads, but on the highway they are much more aggressive. They were all driving in the trunk of my car. Very close to me. I was very surprised," he says. "People are very often distracted when they drive. Very often they didn't realise you would pass them. There is also some extra risk because people pass others on both sides."
Mellinghof believes the best of Australia's roads can easily take a 130-140km/h speed limit, provided there is better education.
"I'm convinced 130, for example, is no problem. So I think it is maybe safer than today, even if you drive a little bit faster," he says. "But on the other hand I think if you raise the speed limit you need better education of young drivers."
He is worried most about poor lane discipline and the potential for trucks to cause problems.
"If you allow higher speed it must be combined with a higher commitment to only passing on the right side," Mellinghof says. "It's not ideal that trucks can travel at the same speed. In an emergency, a truck takes the same distance to break from 80km/h to zero as a car from 120km/h to zero. This has the potential to cause problems."
He says European research and experience shows freeways are the safest roads, with a much lower fatality rate than suburban streets.
"In Germany, the safest way is to drive is on the highway. In Germany we were having 22,000 fatalities in 1972 and now it is below 4000. Only 2000 of them were passengers in a car, and less than 200 are on highways. The highway is not the biggest problem we have."



Merc says we should drive faster | carsguide.com.au

[TUFMPS]

This has been discussed by someone from maserati also, he said at 100 people talk on the phone, to each other, look at things on the side of the road but at 250kph you actually focus on driving. I believe cars are more capable and alot safer so yes the limit should change, however I live in Melbourne and 95% of the people here can't drive for shit. Way too aggressive for no reason - tailgating on freeways but bot going any faster when person moves out the way etc. I've been known to stop completely on the freeway when people do it to me . If a quick tap on the brakes doesn't work I'll pull them up to a stop. That usually makes me happy lol.

[duglet]

I agree highway limits should be raised to 130

But also agree, drivers need to learn the rules better with overtaking and merging on highways.

Country road should have speed limit checks...some are 100km/hr roads and you seriously wouldnt do more than 70.

Road in poor condition, blind corners and crests...but i guess the government doesnt care too much about the rural areas.

Also...ppl who do 70 or 80 in 110 zones on the highways can cause more accidents than speeding...yet no one cares.

We get told time again.. SPEED KILLS....but have they thought that SLOW KILLS or at least causes accidents and road rage.

Anyways.....until we get new blood into govt and ppl who actually know what laws they are making...we will continue to deal with a lower speed limit.

Happy Motoring
duglet

[Scaredycrow]

Anyways.....until we get new blood into govt and ppl who actually know what laws they are making...we will continue to deal with a lower speed limit.

Happy Motoring
duglet

I've got 50 bucks that says that will NEVER happen.

/cynicism

[Doug_MPS6]

We need MORE civil disobedience in this country! Australians have become far to compliant to the whims of wowsers, do-gooders, the inept and social meddlers.

[YOU LOSE]

Commonsense,balanced forward thinking ,safety b4 revenue , driver training introduced by our road law makers , yeah I'd like to see that .

Col

[luke 3mps]

If they raise it to 130kph it means they will have less time to book us for speeding, cuz we spend less time on there roads!! who cares if someone falls asleep after a long drive when they could have been home safe in 2 hrs less............ besides anyone car drive at 130kph in a straight line..................... BLOODY govenment

[shnoy]

yes highway limits should be changed according to new generation. and government has to care about the roads maintenance.

[Toxi]

Almost all the commonly used roads in my area were dropped from 60 to 50, the day it was implemented I saw a horde of patrol cars that day pulling over everyone in sight. It was anarchy. I am too familiar with people using the left lane to overtake on the M4, as well as slow cars hogging the right lane to themselves, causing even some drivers to use the 'break down' lane to fly past slower vehicles.