Hearts and minds campaign on 20mph limit is ‘vital’

SPEED LIMITS

A communications campaign, similar to the one used to discourage drink-driving, will be needed to ensure motorists comply with default 20mph limits on restricted roads, an academic has told MSPs.

Adrian Davis, professor of transport and health at Napier University’s Transport Research Institute, told the Scottish Parliament’s rural economy and connectivity committee: “If people believe driving at 20mph is the ‘normal, everyday thing to do’, and that ‘everybody else’ is doing it, then they are more likely to adopt this behaviour.” 

A national awareness campaign should mirror the three stages of the campaign to make drink-driving unacceptable.

“Stage 1: ‘drink-driving’ can lead you to kill someone (updated to ‘drink driving will get you a jail sentence’) was followed by stage 2 ‘drink-driving is not acceptable’ (then ‘drink-driving is not normal’), and finally by stage 3: ‘drink-drivers are selfish people who don’t care about others’ – the unacceptability (de-norming) of drink-driving.”

More enforcement would be vital to reinforce the message, said Davis.