Speeding in Residential Areas

Overview

Objectives/Goals The safety of child pedestrians, both walking to school and playing in the street, is threatened by speeding drivers. My project is designed around this question, "Does any type of 'slow' sign have any effect on the everyday driver?" If I post myself 10 ft. away from a speed detecting electronic "slow" sign during two different scenarios (with the sign on and with the sign off) drivers will drive slower with the sign on, rather than when the sign is off. Methods/Materials Materials: 1. "Slow, school zone" electronic sign; 2.Radar Gun with automobile setting; 3.Notebook and pencil to record speeds and other data. Procedure: Step 1:Find access to a radar gun. Step 2:Obtained legal approval by San Marcos Sheriffs Department. Step 3:Locate a hill in a residential area where you notice that drivers always speed down. Step 4:Find a with a posted "SLOW" sign which displays drivers' speed during school hours. Step 5:Identify times with consistent traffic flow (morning just before school starts and afternoon just as school is getting out). Step 6:Sit 10ft. back from your "SLOW" sign with the radar gun. Step 7:One person will hold the gun and yell out the car type and it's speed. Step 8:The second person will then locate the car and yell out the gender of the driver. Step 9:Then record the speed and gender are recorded. REPEAT STEPS 6-9 WHEN SIGN IS OFF. Results After observing traffic and collecting data at both morning and afternoon designated times, the following results were found. The "SLOW" sign had only a very slight impact on slowing the speed of the drivers, however, most drivers may have only been slowed due to an increase in traffic at those times. The average non-sign speed of drivers was between 41 and 44 miles per hour, with speeds ranging from 32 miles per hour to over 65 miles per hour. In relationship to the gender of the drivers, males, in fact had a higher average speed under both conditions. Conclusions/Discussion My hypothesis related to the overall slowing of drivers was only slightly correct. The sign had only a very slight impact on slowing the speed of the drivers, however, most drivers may have only been slowed due to an increase in traffic at those times. In relationship to the gender of the drivers, my hypothesis was incorrect. Males, in fact had a higher average speed under both conditions.

Competition history

• CSEF 2010 Behavioral & Social Sciences · Entry J0399

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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