Picture this…
You’re 4 minutes late to an important event, and you decide to drive 10 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit. While flying past the other cars on the road, you barely notice a pedestrian crossing. Without enough time to stop, you swerve out of your lane, crashing into another vehicle.
Unfortunately, scenarios like these are very common. In fact, speeding is a leading cause of traffic fatalities. Let's look at the facts:
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 29% of car crash deaths in 2022 were a result of driving above the recommended speed limit. That is 12,151 lives lost due to the recklessness of drivers.
Speeding has been at the root of approximately ⅓ of all motor vehicle fatalities for more than two decades.
There were 24,555 speed-related crashes in 2021, which is a 10.3% increase from speed-related crashes in 2020.
Male victims aged 15-34 were the most represented group in speeding-related crashes in 2021, making up 36.5% of fatalities and 35.5% of serious injuries.
Not only does speeding pose a serious threat to everyone on the road, but driving above the speed limit does not save much time. For example, if someone is driving for 15 miles on a roadway with an average speed limit of 55 mph, only 2.51 minutes are saved by driving 10 mph over the speed limit. For a 30 mile trip with an average speed limit of 55 mph, driving 10 mph over the speed limit would only save 5.04 minutes. Considering this, is it really worth speeding only to arrive a few minutes earlier?
The answer is no. It is not worth jeopardizing the safety of yourself and others for the sake of a few minutes.
The impulse to speed is pervasive. This impulse can threaten your life, as well as the lives of everyone around you. Next time you feel the need to speed while driving, stop to consider the potential danger you pose to those you are sharing the road with.
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For chapter resources on speeding, and other mobility safety issues, check out sadd.org/programs.
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