preprints.org > engineering > transportation science and technology > doi: 10.20944/preprints202402.1703.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 29 February 2024 / Approved: 29 February 2024 / Online: 29 February 2024 (08:36:41 CET)

In Yaoundé, Cameroon, excessive and inappropriate speeding remains a major public health concern. Part of the problem are the unsafe speed limits, lack of evidence, and effective evaluation of speeding safety performance indicators (SSPIs), and the absence of speed management, hindering the city's ability to mitigate the risks associated with speeding. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by assessing SSPIs using a well-defined methodology and suggesting speed management strategies. Data on speed, traffic volumes and road attributes were collected from a random selection of 16 representative road sections in Yaoundé. Seven SSPIs were calculated, and weights were assigned to evaluate city-level SSPIs. The findings showed that 66.8% of drivers drive within the speed limit, generally operating at speeds of 54 km/h with a speed variation of 26 km/h. Based on the speed analysis, evidence-based strategies are proposed, and implementing these strategies could potentially reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 16% to 84% across study locations, as indicated by Elvik's model. These findings have significant policy implications for reducing speeding in Yaoundé, and the methodological approach can be replicated in other urban settings. Future research should extend SSPI evaluation to the national level and test the effectiveness of the recommended strategies.

speeding; road safety; speed management; speed compliance; safety performance indicators; urban areas

Engineering, Transportation Science and Technology

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