Social media sites are ablaze with complaints about speeding. Near misses, run-over kitties and general anger at speeders get lots of attention. Nobody, except perhaps a speeder, likes speeders.

What can we do to stop speeders? Most of the commonly suggested solutions don’t work. Signs are ignored. Policing traffic is an additional burden to already underfunded police forces. Being pulled over frightens a good portion of the community. Harsh penalties, meaning costly tickets, are not effective for people who can afford fines. And people who can afford fines are frequently also people who can afford hot cars that go fast.

What does work is good road design. Given a wide, straight, smoothly-paved asphalt expanse, with few or no visual obstacles, many will accept the invitation to go fast.

Narrower lanes, curves or protrusions, vegetation and speed humps all slow people down. Sad to say, potholes also slow traffic. Narrower lanes cause drivers to be more attentive and drive more slowly. A so-called “road diet” reallocates excessive lane width to wider sidewalks and bike lanes. This gets people out of their cars and feeling safer walking, running and rolling.

The feeling of increased safety does encourage active transportation. And every person walking, cycling, rolling or riding public transit is a person who isn’t speeding down the road in a car. Complete streets policies are aimed at equal rights for all road users, motorists included, but not prioritized. The governor just signed a bill moving us in that direction.

The faster a gasoline-powered vehicle goes, the bigger its carbon footprint, so greatly reduced speeds both increase safety and protect air quality. Slower drivers are more observant of their surroundings. A shift from the last-century idea of faster, faster, faster is slowly happening. Maybe not fast enough.

Recent horrendous accidents, including the death on Harris, have really brought to light the importance of making changes to road design a priority. Nobody can control drivers who make poor choices, but good road design can ameliorate the outcomes of those choices and maybe keep people alive long enough to become thoughtful, measured drivers.

If you feel that a location seems unsafe to walk, roll or drive, be sure to make a report on Street Story.

Carol Moné
Trinidad, Calif.