A recent survey has found that many people living in Switzerland want lower speed limits to be introduced in cities and urban areas to help keep drivers and residents safe from car accidents.
The study, which was undertaken by the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (Beratungsstelle für Unfallverhütung - BFU), found that 52 percent of survey respondents wanted to introduce 30 km/h speed limits in all urban areas, except for on the most important and heavily-congested routes. In recent years, the speed limit could only be changed locally through referendums.
51 percent of all men surveyed are in favour of reducing the speed limit in urban areas, while slightly more women favour the policy, with 54 percent supporting the measure.
The BFU is now campaigning to remove any legal obstacles to the introduction of lower speed limits across the country. The BFU director, Stefan Siegrist, argues that creating areas with a lower speed limit would truly enhance the safety of Switzerland’s roads, adding that “such zones are an important means of preventing serious accidents.”
BFU’s survey also asked respondents about the use of e-bikes, or electric bicycles, in Switzerland. E-bikes have surged in popularity in recent years, whether for the commute to work, or a weekend ride in the mountains.
But with new technology comes the need for new rules, and many people feel that e-bikes should also come with safety regulations. 78 percent of those surveyed by the BFU want helmets to be compulsory for drivers of e-bikes. Almost 90 percent of respondents were also in favour of new bicycle rules for children - 86 percent of those questioned support the fact that children under the age of 14 must wear a helmet while on their bikes.
Both of these measures that the BFU asked respondents about are currently being discussed by the government, in connection with the revision of Switzerland’s Road Traffic Act.