Last week, Drive ran a poll on whether or not the maximum speed limit should be raised – the results had a resounding response to one answer.
In a recent Drive poll, we asked our readers: Do you want to see the maximum speed limit in Australia raised to 130km/h? After receiving nearly 2500 responses, the answers are clear-cut.
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A whopping 84 per cent of respondents (1977) voted yes to the poll, and only 16 per cent (378) were against raising the limit.
Our comment sections saw a mixture of differing opinions, with some providing support for raising the limit, others opposing it, and others pointing out why it’ll never happen.
“People are generally inclined to drive at a speed that they are themselves comfortable with; otherwise, they would feel mentally exhausted within 15 minutes. When I worked in Germany, I noticed that even on the German autobahns, 95 per cent of all road users sit somewhere between 100 and 120km/h. It is only people who are confident driving cars that are built for high speeds that cruise between 120–150km/h, and higher speeds than that are actually extremely rare,” said one reader.
“Do it like Europe, variable speed limits. No reason not to go 130 in the middle of the night on the M1. The old argument of wildlife. The last time I saw a kangaroo between Brisbane and Sydney on the M1 must have been a decade ago. More deer, etc., on European or American roads,” said another.
While we explored why raising the speed limit would likely not happen any time soon in the original article, many shared the same opinion as to why it wont be raised – a lack of driver education.
“I’m all for higher limits on outback highways, as this would help with fatigue-related accidents. However, having driven in Europe a number of times, I believe the Australian motorist is not capable of handling increased speed, particularly on suburban highways, i.e. looking in mirrors, keeping left, constant speed and general courtesy,” said one reader.
“We may have better roads, and we certainly have safer cars, but the majority of drivers would be better off behind a motorised lawnmower. Idiocy still reigns supreme, and adding another 20km/h would add to the carnage that presently exists,” said another.
“I have driven in Europe where the speed limit is 130km/h. Loved it. Trouble is, Australian drivers are angry, arrogant and (technically) awful. They scare me at any speed,” joined in one more.
Compared to other European countries, Australia does have a relatively simple process for getting your licence. You spend 120 hours (100 hours in some states) behind the wheel over at least 12 months, and then you go for a driving test where you do not exceed 60km/h.
Motorists can enter the road without ever actually being taught by a professional instructor, many spending the whole 120 hours in the car with their guardian. According to research by CompareTheMarket, Australia is the second-easiest country in the world to obtain a driver’s licence.
To get your licence in Germany, for example, you must complete 14 theory lessons and 12 practical lessons that include things like highway (including the Autobahn), countryside, and night driving.
Then there are countries such as Finland and Sweden, which require similar levels of lessons but also require time spent in a driving simulator.
All of this does amount to larger costs involved, with some European countries incurring thousands before you are allowed to join the road, but there is greater awareness of the road, which affords them the freedom to go faster on the freeway.
Regardless, at the time of publishing this story, there are currently no plans from state or federal governments to raise the maximum speed limit.
The post Motorists argue if Australia’s maximum speed limit should be raised appeared first on Drive.