Speed

Speed limit for Tonga is 40km on village and other's are 65km

Driving safely with speed limits

Many drivers aren't aware that they can be travelling at the speed limit and still be driving unsafely.

The speed limit is the maximum legal speed that you can travel at on a road in perfect conditions.

However, road conditions are rarely perfect. As a safe driver, you'll have to look out for changes in traffic, road and weather conditions, and reduce your speed accordingly.

Traffic conditions to watch out for include:

• high volumes of traffic on the road
• pedestrians, joggers and cyclists
• parked cars.

Road conditions to watch out for include:

• bumpy or narrow areas on the road
• wet road surfaces

Weather conditions to watch out for include:

• rain and wind

Judge the safe speed for the conditions

When you're driving, you need to be constantly judging the safe speed for the stretch of road you're on at that particular time. This is called driving to the conditions. If you don't adjust your speed to suit the conditions, you may be driving too fast, even if you're within the speed limit.

Keep inside the speed limit

Drivers who travel above the speed limit endanger the lives of others. We've all heard the saying 'Speed kills'. Higher speeds result in injuries that are more severe.

How does speed affect road safety?

The faster you drive on the road, the more likely you are to crash. As your speed increases:

• the distance you need in order to stop increases
• there is a greater probability that you will be going too fast if you meet an unexpected change in road conditions
• there is a greater chance that other road users will misjudge how fast you are travelling.

The severity of injuries resulting from a crash is directly related to the impact speed of the vehicle – whether or not speeding was a factor in the crash.

What happens when a speeding vehicle crashes?

When a vehicle crashes, it undergoes a rapid change of speed. However, the occupants keep moving at the vehicle's previous speed until they are stopped – either by hitting an object or by being restrained by a safety belt or airbag.

Human bodies are not designed to be hurled against objects at speed, and the faster the speed, the more severe the injuries.