The city of Raleigh has started a pilot program designed to discourage drivers from speeding in residential areas.
City staff members are distributing yard signs, posters and advertisements along five roads, where they say drivers are more likely to speed. They include areas of Quail Hollow Drive, Wide River Drive, Oakwood Avenue, Clark Avenue and Ridge Road.
The city council recommended the campaign after people there complained about collisions or near-misses with bike riders and pedestrians. Raleigh spokeswoman Jayne Kirkpatrick says drivers have been traveling dangerously fast in some spots.
"We just have consistent speeding. It could be that it's posted 25 and the average speed is 38. And most of our fatalities from speeding do occur in residential areas, not on interstates," says Kirkpatrick.
"Over the last three and a half years, we've had 148 people that have died in traffic accidents in Raleigh. 54 of those involved an impaired driver. 44 were speeding. They're not accidents. They're totally preventable."
The campaign also includes radio ads and radar displays in the selected areas. It continues through the end of November.
