Published : Thursday, 7 May 2009
Speeding...
- is a leading contributory factor in fatal crashes;
- exacerbates the severity of other crashes;
- accounts for twice as many deaths and serious injuries as does drink-driving;
- is cited as the most common type of anti-social behaviour in British Crime Survey reports;
- is endemic in our society, not just a problem at a few sites;
- On 30 mph roads where the majority of people are killed or seriously injured, over half of drivers still exceed the speed limit when they can;
- On motorways and dual carriageways, more than half of all drivers exceed the speed limit;
- Fear of speeding traffic is a leading reason why people do not walk and cycle more;
- Speeding is an environmental crime. Lower vehicle speeds will reduce carbon emissions, especially on high-speed roads.
The crash risk of speeding
The faster one travels, the the greater the risk of hitting someone or something. At higher speeds when there is a collision, the impact will be harder. The reaction times of drivers do not improve with vehicle speed.
The crash risk varies according to many factors: the road environment, weather, driver and vehicle and road users. For instance, the crash risk in a built-up area cannot be applied to a motorway where there are no vulnerable road users, traffic flows are separated and access is restricted.
'Speeding' refers to both excessive and inappropriate speed by motor vehicles. It is said to be 'excessive speed' when drivers break the speed limit, and 'inappropriate speed' when the speed is too high for the circumstances, but is not above the speed limit.
