Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety

There are increasing numbers of low-speed electric vehicles (LSV) on public roadways. These vehicles are designed to be used within protected environments and on roadways with a maximum posted speed of 25 mph. Currently these vehicles are not subject to the same federal requirements for occupant pr...

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Main Author: Katharine Hunter-Zaworski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing 2012-10-01
Series:Journal of Transport and Land Use
Online Access:https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/250
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author Katharine Hunter-Zaworski
author_facet Katharine Hunter-Zaworski
author_sort Katharine Hunter-Zaworski
collection DOAJ
description There are increasing numbers of low-speed electric vehicles (LSV) on public roadways. These vehicles are designed to be used within protected environments and on roadways with a maximum posted speed of 25 mph. Currently these vehicles are not subject to the same federal requirements for occupant protection as passenger cars. The research reported in the paper investigated safety standards, operating regulations, and LSV manufacturer materials from sources around the world. The purpose of the research was to determine positive and negative impacts that LSV, including Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) and Medium Speed Electric Vehicles (MSEVs), are likely to have for the states such as Oregon, and whether adjustments in state regulations are needed to ensure that LSV do not negatively impact road safety and traffic operations, or expose the LSV operators to undue risk. The U.S. and Canadian federal motor vehicle safety agencies have harmonized their regulations and stipulated the maximum operating speed of these vehicles, however state and local roadway authorities have regulated the maximum speed of roadways and intersection characteristics on which these vehicles can operate. The significant recommendations of this research are: (i) appropriate state statues for LSV should be amended such that LSV are limited to public roadways with a maximum operating speed of 25 mph, and they are restricted to crossing higher speed roadways at four-way Stop or signal controlled intersections, (ii) local transportation authorities should develop parallel or secondary low-speed roadway networks that connect residential neighborhoods with major activity centers.
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spelling doaj-art-ceaee63f8cf6435699db670a7c1702092025-08-20T03:10:01ZengUniversity of Minnesota Libraries PublishingJournal of Transport and Land Use1938-78492012-10-015210.5198/jtlu.v5i2.250112Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safetyKatharine Hunter-Zaworski0Oregon State UniversityThere are increasing numbers of low-speed electric vehicles (LSV) on public roadways. These vehicles are designed to be used within protected environments and on roadways with a maximum posted speed of 25 mph. Currently these vehicles are not subject to the same federal requirements for occupant protection as passenger cars. The research reported in the paper investigated safety standards, operating regulations, and LSV manufacturer materials from sources around the world. The purpose of the research was to determine positive and negative impacts that LSV, including Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) and Medium Speed Electric Vehicles (MSEVs), are likely to have for the states such as Oregon, and whether adjustments in state regulations are needed to ensure that LSV do not negatively impact road safety and traffic operations, or expose the LSV operators to undue risk. The U.S. and Canadian federal motor vehicle safety agencies have harmonized their regulations and stipulated the maximum operating speed of these vehicles, however state and local roadway authorities have regulated the maximum speed of roadways and intersection characteristics on which these vehicles can operate. The significant recommendations of this research are: (i) appropriate state statues for LSV should be amended such that LSV are limited to public roadways with a maximum operating speed of 25 mph, and they are restricted to crossing higher speed roadways at four-way Stop or signal controlled intersections, (ii) local transportation authorities should develop parallel or secondary low-speed roadway networks that connect residential neighborhoods with major activity centers.https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/250
spellingShingle Katharine Hunter-Zaworski
Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
Journal of Transport and Land Use
title Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
title_full Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
title_fullStr Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
title_full_unstemmed Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
title_short Impacts of low-speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
title_sort impacts of low speed vehicles on transportation infrastructure and safety
url https://www.jtlu.org/index.php/jtlu/article/view/250
work_keys_str_mv AT katharinehunterzaworski impactsoflowspeedvehiclesontransportationinfrastructureandsafety