Is Speeding Really So Bad?
Great strides have been made in improving safety on our roads in recent years. Seat belt use has increased, drunk driving deaths have decreased, and more attention is being called to distracted driving. But speeding continues to be a blight on street safety. For more than two decades, around a third of all fatalities are caused by people simply driving too fast. And that statistic just doesn’t seem to let up. Does it matter?
Why is Speeding so Dangerous?
The faster a driver is travelling, the less time he has to react to anything around him. When a speeding driver crashes, it’s more likely that there will 
be an injury, that injuries will be severe, and that deaths will result. This is not only true for drivers, but for other drivers, passengers, bicyclists, or pedestrians on the street around them. And for every mile faster that a driver is speeding, the chance of someone surviving a crash rapidly declines.
Speeding drivers put everyone at risk. So why doesn’t speeding get more attention?
Doesn’t Everyone Speed?
Unlike driving under the influence or failing to wear a seatbelt, speeding isn’t looked down upon socially. That’s why the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) encourages national high-visibility campaigns to crack down on speeding and aggressive driving. They began to urge agencies to focus more on the perils speeding when they witnessed the rise in dangerous driving during the Covid pandemic. NHTSA has since created a national campaign to remind drivers of the deadly consequences of speeding.
Bring it Home
While national campaigns can be pivotal in directing consumer attention to the dangerous behavior of speeding, it’s local, grassroots
efforts that can truly change our nation’s roadways. It’s the time to give thought to how we can better protect the lives of those around us. What actions can your city take to make your streets safer for everyone who uses them?
There isn’t one answer. Cities that use automated speed camera systems found reduced crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Others who use radar signs to slow speeders and encourage safer driving have found significant impact as well.
The most effective way to change the way people drive is with a comprehensive traffic safety plan, incorporate a variety of strategies and tools such as speed display signs, speed cameras, and speed humps. Driving too fast is just as dangerous as failing to wear a seatbelt or driving inebriated. It’s time to take action to help reduce speeding, and the catastrophic injuries and fatalities that too often ensue.
Speeding kills. Slowing drivers saves lives.
Ready to take action? No project is too big or too small for Traffic Logix. With the widest array of solutions on the market to solve dangerous driving concerns, we’re here to help you find the right answer to curb speeding on your streets. Reach out to us today!
