A Referendum to Lower Tallinn Speed Limit – Vote Now!

While trying to increase the safety of the roads both for car drivers and pedestrians, Tallinn City Government might call citizens for a referendum on speed limit in the city.

Starting from a study realized by the agency Stratum and the Tallinn Technical University which highlighted one year ago how lowering the speed limit from 50km/h to 40km/h could make roads more safe and reduce the risk for pedestrians to be killed in car accidents by one fifth, the Tallinn City Government could approve this week the proposal to organize a referendum to let people decide on the modification of the speed limit.

“With the poll, we would like to find out the actual opinion of city residents and hence, according to the draft decision, the poll only has two options for answering – ‘yes’ or ‘no’”, said the chief specialist of the administrative organization office of the legislative and proposals division of the City Chancellery Mr. Heiki Soome.

If approved, citizens will soon be asked to give their opinion using special “voting” points which will be prepared in the biggest shopping malls in Tallinn, via internet or SMS.

It is also worth mentioning that, according to the study cited above, while at the speed of 50 km/h, a pedestrian has a 30-per-cent chance of survival in an impact, the percentage increased up to 50 per cent when the same happens at the speed of 40 km/h.

Estonian Free Press readers have the possibility to have their say on this issue even before the decision of Tallinn City Council sending an SMS to the number 1311 writing the code TXT LIMIT and then the speed limit you think is the most appropriate for Tallinn.