While European countries such as Italy and the Czech Republic are considering increasing the speed of their highways to 150 km/h, other European countries will do the exact opposite.
In Spain, the maximum speed of high-capacity roads was already reduced in 2011, going to 110 km/h. This caused a reduction in fuel, but data on accidents cannot be extrapolated because the measurement lasted several months. It is expected that the DGT will be very attentive to the results of the tests in Switzerland and propose measures in our country.
On many occasions, we think that driving below the speed limit is safer and less dangerous than exceeding or respecting it. The truth is that slowing down too much can be just as dangerous as exceeding the limits of the road. And that is why, in locations like Abu Dhabi, driving on the highway at less than 120 km/h is punishable.
And although it is true that we are dealing with a flat general geography where the highways are long and hardly have any curves, it was decided to establish this regulation. In this way, anyone who travels at a minimum speed of 120 km/h will receive the corresponding fine, even in parts of the highway where the speed of 140 km/h is reached.
The country that lowers the speed of 80 km/h
But let’s go back to the case at hand, which is that of those who choose to reduce the speed. This is the case in Switzerland, whose authorities want to lower the speed of high-capacity roads to 80 km/h, a measure that will be tested and can be implemented in 2026.
The director of the Swiss Federal Highway Authority explained that the measure was proposed as a solution to the many traffic jams that occur on its roads, reducing their number simply by lowering the maximum speed. Of course, the proposal will be applied depending on the day of the week and traffic conditions.
