adminwill drive on. It is also the duty of every driver to correctly convert the speed shown on his/her dashboard from say miles/h to km/hr.
Speed limits are the maximum speed limits permissible at law and are not necessarily safe speeds.
Heavy vehicles, trucks, public service vehicles, vehicles drawing more than one trailer, tractors and construction vehicles have special speed limits which they have to adhere to irrespective of higher speeds that the law may allow for light motor vehicles.
Speeding is a major cause of road traffic incidents and one of the particulars of negligent driving.
Regulatory effect of speed signs
Speed signs fall under Class B of the five classes of Zimbabwe’s traffic signs and signals. They are called regulatory signs.
Regulatory signs have the force of the law. Any motorist who violates such signs is liable to prosecution.
Prescribed speeds can be cancelled by a de-restriction sign which is not a regulatory sign but merely an informative sign.
“De-restriction sign indicating end of specially imposed speed limit”.
Urban Speed Limit
The general limit in urban areas is 60km/h. This simply means that you do not expect an urban area to be littered with the 60km/h sign in every street.
Drivers do not have to exceed that general limit.
However, if you come across a speed sign showing otherwise, that is the maximum speed one can travel on that section of the road. It is common to find some sections of the road with speed limits of 50km/h or 70km/h on urban roads.
Public service vehicles and heavy vehicles
The maximum speed limit of the above stated vehicles is 80km/h on wide tar roads and 60km/h on other roads.
This means that even if the speed sign on a section of the road may read 100km/h, they should adhere to their special speed limit of 80km/h.
It also follows that in an urban set-up where a regulatory sign in a residential area may be 70km/h, they can not go beyond 60km/h (for other roads) without breaking the law.
This explains why a bus, commuter omnibus or haulage truck can be easily overtaken on the highway by a light motor vehicle which can legally travel at up to 120km/h on wide tar roads and 80km/h on other roads.
With such knowledge, the commuting public is therefore not expected to encourage such drivers to travel as fast as light motor vehicles or to keep quiet and fail to alert authorities when such drivers openly violate the law.
Construction vehicles, tractors and vehicle drawing more than one trailer
The above stated vehicles have special speed limits of 40km/h on wide tar roads and 40km/h on other roads.
This means that when in urban areas, they do not switch to the “urban speed limit of 60km/h” but adhere to their prescribed maximum speed of 40km/h.
Such vehicles must never exceed 40km/h even if they encounter speed signs permitting 100km/h.
Even if they come across a de-restriction sign, they should still apply their general limits.
Miles per hour and km/h
Some vehicles have a dual odometer and speedometer. Some may only have one type.
If the vehicle uses miles per hour one should bear in mind that 10km/h is approximately 15km/h.
One driver was once apprehended while driving at 80m/h in an 80km/h zone. He was, in fact, travelling at 120km/h (40km above the speed limit). He professed ignorance. At law, ignorance is no defence.
Driving in a Foreign Land
Any person driving in foreign land must familiarise with the traffic laws governing road use there. If, for instance, the speed limit for public service vehicles is 100km/h in your country of origin, you must adhere to the 80 km/h limit on Zimbabwean roads. Speed thrills but it kills.
Penalties for speeding
Excess km/h Penalty
1-5km Caution
6-15km Fine
16-25km Fine
26-49 km Fine
50 km and above Court
If you are caught travelling at 64km/h in a 60 km zone, you are cautioned but at 74km in the same zone you pay an admission of guilt fine.
However, if any other driver driving on the same section of the road drives at 110km/h the long arm of the law will catch him. Such a driver will be brought before the courts.
Conclusion
Speeding and exceeding prescribed speed limits are some of the major causes of road traffic crashes.
A driver should be aware of the unit used for speed signs and also the unit used by his/her speedometer and adometer.
There are special speed limits for certain classes of vehicles which may be different from other classes.
A driver who fails to adjust to road conditions and speeds or one who enjoys exceeding speed limits is not only a danger to himself/herself but to society, too.
Ernest Muchena is Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe’s Product Development & Marketing Manager. For feedback, you can contact us on 04-751203/8 or 0772 110 898 or visit us at No. 4 Park Street, Harare.
Online Reporter