Cambridge Votes to Lower Speed Limits to 40km/h and 30km/h

April 20, 2023, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

The municipalities in Waterloo Region are adopting the principles of Vision Zero to make the roads safer for all users. Vision Zero is something we’ve covered on our blog several timed and you can read about it here.

Vision Zero is a road safety approach that aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries. It recognizes that humans are fallible and make mistakes, but that road systems should be designed to prevent these mistakes from leading to serious harm. This is achieved through a combination of safe road infrastructure, safe speeds, safe vehicles, and safe road users. Vision Zero prioritizes the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. It also emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision making and collaboration between different stakeholders, including transportation planners,

Cambridge is the lates municipality to announce that they will be lowering their speed limits to 40 km/h in residential areas and to 30 dm/h in school zones. This is a good first step in making the roads safer. Lowering the speed limits to 30 km/h and 40km/h has many benefits which includes:

Reducing the severity of accidents:

Lowering speed limits means that if an accident does occur, it is less likely to result in serious injuries or fatalities. At lower speeds, vehicles have a shorter stopping distance and collisions are less severe.

Improving pedestrian safety:

Lower speed limits can help reduce the number of pedestrian accidents by giving drivers more time to react to pedestrians, reducing the distance needed to stop, and increasing the chances of survival in case of an accident.

Increasing cyclist safety:

Lower speed limits can also improve safety for cyclists by reducing the speed differential between cyclists and cars, making it easier for drivers to anticipate and avoid collisions.

Reducing the likelihood of accidents:

Lower speeds can also reduce the likelihood of accidents happening in the first place. At lower speeds, drivers have more time to react to unexpected situations, reducing the likelihood of collisions.

Encouraging active transportation:

Lower speed limits can encourage people to walk, bike, or use public transportation instead of driving, promoting active transportation and reducing traffic congestion.

Overall, lowering speed limits to 40 km/h in cities in Canada can have significant safety benefits, making roads safer for all road users. What are your thoughts on these initiatives? If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident or if you’ve been hit while walking or riding your bicycle please contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation. You don’t have to face your situation alone.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.