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Q:Several years ago I saw a sign posted on a quiet neighborhood street that warned of a speed limit of 14 mph. Another time I saw a posted speed limit of 22 mph. Seems to me that these odd-numbered speed limits could be an effective way of getting drivers to pay attention and slow down. What do you think?

K.C. - Hillsboro, OR

A: We've seen them too. We've even heard of signs that say things like..."No driving over this bridge faster than you can walk." And while anecdotal reports sometimes attest to odd speed sign effectiveness, scientific research prove otherwise. According to a study conducted by the Institute of Traffic Engineers, Washington D.C. (http://www.ite.org/traffic/), odd numbered speed limit postings had no effect on slowing traffic. Too bad - we enjoy seeing them.

Q: The city came out and observed traffic behavior around a nearby neighborhood playground and found that while a lot of cars go 5 to 10 mph over the limit, very few drivers speed 15 mph or more and this makes it a "low priority." I know it's dangerous. How do I prove it?

M. Wedemyer. - Watsonville, CA

A: You don't need to prove a thing. That's already been done. A number of studies conducted by various national and local agencies have all come to the same conclusion: There is a direct and significant relationship between vehicle speed and pedestrian injury and a few mph over the limit can make the difference between a cast or a casket. Here are some findings: Only 5 percent of pedestrians would die when struck by a vehicle traveling 20 mph or less. That jumps to 40 percent when the car is going 30mph, 80% at 40 mph and nearly 100% at 50 mph.

U.S. Department of Transportation, DOT HS 809 021 October 1999