Slashing speed limits to save lives

Estonia's roads are among the most dangerous in Europe, with Tallinn and Tartu having the highest frequency of accidents.

Estonia's roads are among the most dangerous in Europe, with Tallinn and Tartu having the highest frequency of accidents.

TALLINN — Are Tallinn’s drivers allowed to go too fast?

The Tallinn municipal government wants to find out what residents think. It decided at its weekly meeting Wednesday to carry out a opinion poll, asking residents of Estonia’s capital whether they would like to reduce the speed limit to 40 km/h within the city. Should the capital lower speed limits, it’s likely other municipalities may follow suit.

The poll will be held from May 3 to 9, asking [private_supervisor]participants, “Should the speed limit in Tallinn be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h?” Answer options are simply yes or no. The poll will be carried out electronically and in borough polling stations.

Deadly drivers

The main intent is to deter the city’s numerous reckless drivers from killing pedestrians — 60 to 80 pedestrians have died annually over the past five years in Estonia, according to the Tallinn municipal government, and the problem is the deepest in Tallinn and Tartu.

Reducing the speed limit in Tallinn has been under discussion since the beginning of 2001, but soon the issue was dropped. Marek Jürgenson, former director of Tallinn’s center borough said that government research shows that limiting the speed to 40km/h would decrease the death rate in accidents by three times.

Like its neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has one of the worst car accident rates and road fatality rates in both Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Given the harsh winter weather accident rates have been up this year, with 220 people were injured and nine people died in traffic accidents in January and February according to the Estonian Road Administration. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]participants, “Should the speed limit in Tallinn be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h?” Answer options are simply yes or no. The poll will be carried out electronically and in borough polling stations.

Deadly drivers

The main intent is to deter the city’s numerous reckless drivers from killing pedestrians — 60 to 80 pedestrians have died annually over the past five years in Estonia, according to the Tallinn municipal government, and the problem is the deepest in Tallinn and Tartu.

Reducing the speed limit in Tallinn has been under discussion since the beginning of 2001, but soon the issue was dropped. Marek Jürgenson, former director of Tallinn’s center borough said that government research shows that limiting the speed to 40km/h would decrease the death rate in accidents by three times.

Like its neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has one of the worst car accident rates and road fatality rates in both Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Given the harsh winter weather accident rates have been up this year, with 220 people were injured and nine people died in traffic accidents in January and February according to the Estonian Road Administration. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]participants, “Should the speed limit in Tallinn be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h?” Answer options are simply yes or no. The poll will be carried out electronically and in borough polling stations.

Deadly drivers

The main intent is to deter the city’s numerous reckless drivers from killing pedestrians — 60 to 80 pedestrians have died annually over the past five years in Estonia, according to the Tallinn municipal government, and the problem is the deepest in Tallinn and Tartu.

Reducing the speed limit in Tallinn has been under discussion since the beginning of 2001, but soon the issue was dropped. Marek Jürgenson, former director of Tallinn’s center borough said that government research shows that limiting the speed to 40km/h would decrease the death rate in accidents by three times.

Like its neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has one of the worst car accident rates and road fatality rates in both Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Given the harsh winter weather accident rates have been up this year, with 220 people were injured and nine people died in traffic accidents in January and February according to the Estonian Road Administration. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]participants, “Should the speed limit in Tallinn be reduced from 50km/h to 40km/h?” Answer options are simply yes or no. The poll will be carried out electronically and in borough polling stations.

Deadly drivers

The main intent is to deter the city’s numerous reckless drivers from killing pedestrians — 60 to 80 pedestrians have died annually over the past five years in Estonia, according to the Tallinn municipal government, and the problem is the deepest in Tallinn and Tartu.

Reducing the speed limit in Tallinn has been under discussion since the beginning of 2001, but soon the issue was dropped. Marek Jürgenson, former director of Tallinn’s center borough said that government research shows that limiting the speed to 40km/h would decrease the death rate in accidents by three times.

Like its neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia has one of the worst car accident rates and road fatality rates in both Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Given the harsh winter weather accident rates have been up this year, with 220 people were injured and nine people died in traffic accidents in January and February according to the Estonian Road Administration. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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