INTRODUCTION

A spot speed study is a study of traffic speed at one point or spot on a traffic way. It consists
of a series or a sample of observations of the individual speeds at which vehicles are
approaching an intersection or passing a point at a non-intersection location. These
observations are used to estimate the speed distribution of the entire traffic stream at that
location, under the conditions prevailing at the time of the study.

Spot speed studies can be used to study speeds at problem locations in order to
determine whether speeds are too high and if complaints received are justified, for accident
analysis in order to determine the relationship of speed to accidents which may help in
developing corrective measures, and for before-and-after studies in order to evaluate the
effect of some change in controls or conditions.

In this laboratory activity, we are required to conduct a spot speed study by recording
speeds of at least 100 vehicles, varying from motorcycles, cars and buses, to estimate the
distribution of speed of vehicles along Jalan Ilmu 1/1, in UiTM Shah Alam, Selangor. The
speeds of vehicles are recorded using a radar gun, which is widely used by law enforcement
officials in order to keep to road safe from aggressive drivers.

OBJECTIVES

1. To establish the speed distribution of traffic stream at a specific site or called as basic
speed data
2. To determine vehicle speed percentiles via speed trend analysis, which are useful in
speed related decision making

APPARATUS
Radar gun
PROCEDURES

1. Preparations like pens, radar meter spot speed study data forms and clipboards are
readied. Radar speed meter is ensured in good condition and procedures for the used
radar gun are acknowledged. Backup battery and safety vests are obtained.
2. A study location is determined and a straight and level road section is selected to
represent different traffic conditions.
3. Enumerator has arrived 30 minutes earlier at site in order to do visual appraisal survey
prior to selecting strategic location and distributing the equipment. General
information of the spot speed data recording forms that comprise the observer's name,
time and date of study, name of site, posted speed limit and weather condition are
filled in. Planned time to start the study has begun.
4. The layout of the study area is sketched with the description of chosen reference
points, position of observation, number of lanes and road class.
5. The enumerators, the radar unit and the station for speed data collection are
inconspicuous where possible so that vehicular speeds are significantly not affected
by the data collection activities.
6. Samples are randomly selected, for example the observer could record a speed
reading for every third vehicle or every fifth vehicle.
7. The radar meter is made as direct a line with oncoming traffic to make it as close to
the roadway as possible.
8. The vehicle speeds are recorded for 100 samples.
RESULTS
Location : In front of Mawar College Day : Monday
Time start : 10.15 AM Time finish : 10.45 AM
Weather : Sunny No. Lanes : 1

NO SPEED CLASSIFICATION NO SPEED CLASSIFICATION

1 34 car 36 33 bus
2 35 motorcycle 37 34 car
3 36 car 38 38 car
4 26 car 39 35 motorcycle
5 43 car 40 21 motorcycle
6 39 car 41 38 car
7 31 motorcycle 42 33 van
8 35 car 43 38 motorcycle
9 36 motorcycle 44 34 car
10 26 bus 45 37 car
11 46 car 46 35 car
12 53 car 47 37 motorcycle
13 48 car 48 30 motorcycle
14 44 car 49 37 motorcycle
15 42 car 50 32 car
16 17 motorcycle 51 32 car
17 33 car 52 36 motorcycle
18 40 car 53 44 motorcycle
19 41 car 54 38 car
20 20 motorcycle 55 45 car
21 29 bus 56 48 car
22 31 car 57 41 motorcycle
23 32 car 58 46 motorcycle
24 45 car 59 46 car
25 35 car 60 38 car
26 30 car 61 35 motorcycle
27 28 car 62 40 motorcycle
28 23 car 63 42 car
29 33 motorcycle 64 37 motorcycle
30 44 car 65 44 car
31 35 car 66 47 car
32 32 motorcycle 67 39 car
33 36 car 68 51 car
34 41 car 69 56 car
35 40 car 70 50 car
NO SPEED CLASSIFICATION NO SPEED CLASSIFICATION
71 44 car 86 37 car
72 38 car 87 42 motorcycle
73 42 motorcycle 88 44 motorcycle
74 39 car 89 43 car
75 42 motorcycle 90 47 motorcycle
76 65 motorcycle 91 40 car
77 61 motorcycle 92 49 motorcycle
78 44 car 93 51 motorcycle
79 33 car 94 34 bus
80 39 motorcycle 95 36 car
81 49 motorcycle 96 42 car
82 35 motorcycle 97 30 bus
83 35 car 98 30 car
84 34 motorcycle 99 36 motorcycle
85 37 motorcycle 100 30 bus
 FREQUENCY HISTOGRAM
35
30
FREQUENCY

25
20
15 31
10 21 22
5 11
1 3 4 4 1 1 1
0
15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69
SPEED CLASS

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
35
30
FREQUENCY (%)

25
20
15
10
5
0
15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
SPEED

CUMMULATIVE FREQUENCY
100
90
FREQUENCY (%)

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69
SPEED CLASS
15TH : 31.15
85TH : 46
98TH : 51

Mean: 38.34
Median: 37.5
Modal: 35
Standard deviation : 7.940715
𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
Standard error =
√𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒

0.794071

Confidence significant level : 1.56

Upper limit : 39.90
Lower limit : 36.78
DISCUSSIONS
The raw collected data, shows that there is a medium amount of dispersion in
collected data. Dispersion, in this case, refers to “the scattering of values of a variable around
the mean or median of a distribution. Dispersion shows how widespread the data points were,
and deals with the value of standard deviation, or the average of the differences in mean
speed and group speed

From the frequency histogram obtained, the highest frequency value is 35 stated at
range 35-39 km/hr. cars mainly contributed to this range due to the traffic condition where
the road chosen is not suitable to drive higher than that range. Meanwhile, the lowest
frequency is stated at range 15-19 , 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69 km/hr which is only 1. At the
higher speed, which is range 65 to 69 km/hr, motorcycle was contribute to this data as light
traffic at that time which this vehicle capable to reach at those speed range.

The wide range in driving speeds may have accounted for the dispersion of the data.
The mode of the graph shows that there is one central tendency. Central tendency refers to
“the tendency of samples of a given measurement to cluster around some central value.” The
“central value” of this experiment is the mode, 35 mph. Most of the cars in the experiment
were travelling at this speed. There is a central tendency, or 37.5mph mode, in the graph
because there is a speed limit, and cars have a tendency to drive the speed limit, or in this
case, 7mph over the speed limit. Dispersion of data in a speed trap may vary under different
conditions. For instance, at the Indy 500 during normal green flag conditions, one might
expect to see very little dispersion.

Errors may have occurred due to the rotation of team members, distractions to drivers,
lane-changing cars and the imperfect method of flagging. With rotation of team members
through the different positions, flagging and timing methods may have varied slightly. This
could have affected times and values recorded. Inaccuracies may have occurred with the
change of each position. Flagging, although intended to be done in subtly, may have
distracted drivers. This distraction may have caused them to change their speed, resulting in
an inaccurate recorded speed value. Cars that were changing lanes travelled extra distance
and were therefore timed for a longer distance than the other cars. This ambiguity was not
addressed in the method of recording, so the lane-changing cars were recorded at a slower
speed than they were actually travelling. The method of flagging was fairly basic and
imprecise. A wave of the hand could have been delayed and the timing, likewise, could have
been slightly off. This would have produced an inaccurate speed for the car.

CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis, it is concluded that the most of the vehicles exceed the
allowable speed limit (25 km/hr) in UiTM Shah Alam for all categories which is car,
motorcycle, van and bus. This is very dangerous especially there are a lot of students who
walk to go to classes and can cause an accident. To avoid such event we need to install a
rumble strip (white and yellow strip on road) and speed bumps so that drivers can drive
according to the speed limit. Polis Bantuan also needs to make sure that all drivers is driving
according to the speed limit.