Yorkton City Council is set to change speed limits to better reflect how people actually drive.
Following a presentation at a regular meeting in January by Coalition for Natural Speed Limits (CNSL) president Hans Von Hagen鈥攚ho grew up in Germany where there are no speed limits on the autobahn鈥擟ouncil decided to review the City鈥檚 bylaw.
鈥淲e were amazed by the results," said Mayor Bob Maloney. 鈥淭he actual speed people travel on city streets does not appear to be governed by the speed limits at all.鈥�
The CNSL has long argued that speed limits are arbitrary and set too low because people are going to drive at the speed they are comfortable.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a cash grab by governments,鈥� Von Hagen said.
But the Yorkton study found the opposite.
鈥淲e found the natural speed limit within the city is around 20 kilometres an hour, even though it is currently 50,鈥� said Clayton Werner, the City鈥檚 roadways manager.
Effective July 1, the new speed limit in Yorkton, unless otherwise posted, will be 20 kilometres an hour.
The only exception will be school zones, which will be set at 60 km/hr.
鈥淔or some reason, even the most timid drivers seem to blast through school zones,鈥� Werner noted.
