VCÖ Analysis: Speed Limits Are the "Low Hanging Fruits" of the Mobility Transition

In Austria, the transportation sector is also chronically lagging in achieving climate targets. Similar to the situation in Germany, it is the only sector today causing more climate-damaging emissions than in 1990, as explained by the alternative transport club VCÖ. All other sectors have reduced their emissions: the building sector, for example, by 52 percent in 2023 compared to 1990. Simple countermeasures are available.

The club has now summarized the results of a meta-study: Recently, a team of over 50 scientists assessed the effectiveness and feasibility of more than 1,400 climate protection measures that were additionally proposed as part of the consultation for the NEKP (National Energy and Climate Plan). One of the most effective and simultaneously cost-efficient and quickly implementable measures cited was lower speed limits.

Lower speeds reduce emissions and increase safety

Through speed limits of 30 / 80 / 100, up to 1.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions could be saved in the Alpine republic. The target for Austria's total greenhouse gas emissions outside the EU Emissions Trading System is set at a reduction of 19.2 million tons by 2030 compared to 2021. Just by implementing lower speed limits, nine percent of the necessary overall reductions across all sectors can be achieved.

Air pollutant burden decreases

The climate protection measure of lower speed limits creates additional significant benefits, such as a reduction in noise pollution and air pollutants. The risk of accidents also decreases. Traffic science predicts about 15 percent fewer accidents and 28 percent fewer road fatalities through the implementation of speed limits of 30 / 80 / 100. In most EU countries, the maximum speed on rural roads is either 80 or 90 km/h. For example, in the Netherlands, France, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, the speed limit is 80 km/h. In Finland, the speed limit is reduced to 80 km/h in winter, and in Sweden, to 70 km/h.
 

Overland Accident Risk Decreases

In addition to reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, the risk of accidents on rural roads is particularly minimized with a speed limit of 80 km/h. Around two-thirds of fatal traffic accidents in 2023 occurred on rural roads. Studies indicate that by reducing speed limits from 100 km/h to 80 km/h, fatalities on rural roads could decrease by approximately 30 percent. For residents, another advantage of the 80 km/h limit is that noise emissions are reduced by two decibels compared to a 100 km/h speed limit. The human ear perceives this as a reduction in traffic volume by one third.

Reduced Risk of Fatalities in Urban Areas

Speed reductions can also save lives in urban areas. The risk of fatality for pedestrians in a collision with a car is four to five times higher at 50 km/h compared to 30 km/h. A 30 km/h speed limit instead of 50 km/h also makes it easier for residents to travel around town by bicycle. In the French city of Lille, a 30 km/h speed limit was introduced in 2019. Since then, the share of cycling traffic has increased by 55 percent. In communities and cities in Austria, it will be easier to implement a 30 km/h speed limit in sensitive areas (such as schools, senior centers, or recreational facilities) starting from July 1.

Minimal Time Loss versus Fewer Fatal Accidents

The time loss due to lower speed limits is limited: Because traffic flow is not always uniform, the average speed of cars on Austria’s highway sections with a speed limit of 130 km/h is about 10 km/h lower. Lower speeds can make traffic flow more uniform, reducing congestion and saving time in those cases. Another cause of traffic jams is accidents. If the number of accidents decreases, the number of traffic jams will also decrease.