Dynamic speed signs go up on express lanes, number of speeding tickets go down

Dynamic speed signs have been set up on the E-ZPass Express Lanes on Interstates 95 and 495.

Transurban, the Australian-based transportation company that operates the express lanes, installed the new speed signs for a trial run. Much like traffic radar signs that drivers see along the roadside in neighborhoods, dynamic signs will show how fast a vehicle is going within the express lane.

The posted speed limit will be shown next to the dynamic sign to encourage customers to adjust to that recommended speed in order to ensure their safety.

The trailers that hold the dynamic signs will be placed on the shoulders of the express lanes, also similar in practice to the traffic radar signs.

“As drivers approach the sign, it will display their current speed. The signs aim to give speeding drivers a reminder and encourage them to slow down for the safety of themselves and others on the road. Speeding increases the risk of a crash and crash severity should one occur,” stated Transurban manager Mike McGurk in a press release.

One justification made for this action is due to the coronavirus pandemic. With fewer vehicles on the road due to stay at home orders, some drivers have been speeding up more than they should, Transurban says.

According to data from the Virginia State Police, troopers assigned to the express lanes wrote 1,079 speeding summonses and 994 reckless driving summonses between April 2019 and April 2020.

In April 2019, VSP charged 71 express lanes drivers with reckless driving and 73 for speeding compared to 44 for reckless driving and four for speeding in April 2020.

“Governor Northam’s COVID-19 safety restrictions definitely impacted Virginia’s highways statewide during the month of April, as state police saw significant decreases in traffic volume,” stated VSP’s Public Relations Director Corinne Geller.

The decision for this trial run was ultimately inspired by data that was compiled in a report for the Governor’s Highway Safety Association which found excessive speeding to be a trend that was forming across the U.S.

For example, New York has issued 24,765 speeding tickets which was double the amount issued only a month earlier in spite of the fact that there are fewer vehicles on their roads. In Los Angeles, speeds are up on some roads by 30% which has prompted changes to street and pedestrian lights.

The report also lists instances in states such as Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska, and Utah of police clocking drivers highway speeds at over 100 mph. In states like Florida and Iowa, Highway police have reported drivers going between 20 and 40 miles over the posted speed limits.

While the amount of car crashes has gone down the crashes themselves have become more fatal. In states like Minnesota and Massachusetts, the crash rate is rising and in some cases doubling from the same time last year. Even pedestrian fatalities have been rising in states like Nevada and Rhode Island.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management, and promote best practices.

Its members are appointed by their governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans.