Speeding is the number one cause of road crashes, especially in cities where pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are highly exposed. This paper endeavours to assess the effectiveness of city-wide 30km/h speed limit. Towards that end, a thorough literature review was conducted and the changes in safety, emissions, energy, traffic, livability and health before and after the implementation of city-wide 30km/h speed limits were evaluated. To date, scientific evidence demonstrated that more than 40% lives saved with the introduction of 30km/h speed limits in urban areas; in parallel to significant positive environmental, energy and health impacts with less fuel consumption and more walking and cycling. Results from 40 different cities across Europe, such as Brussels, Paris and Zurich, indicated that reductions in speed limits improved road safety by decreasing the crash risk happening and the severity of crashes that do occur. On average, the implementation of 30km/h speed limit in European cities demonstrated a notable 23%, 37% and 38% reduction in road crashes, fatalities and injuries, respectively. Lower speed limits also yielded environmental benefits, with emissions decreasing on average by 18%, noise pollution levels by 2.5 dB, and fuel consumption by 11%, indicating enhanced fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Encouraging citizens to embrace walking, cycling and utilizing public transit services can contribute to a safer and environmentally sustainable urban environment. Launching public awareness campaigns and encouraging the use of public transport and active mobility could be proved beneficial for the adoption of 30 km/h speed limits in cities.
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