Dangers Of Speed
Many people like to drive fast. They may be in a hurry or they may just enjoy the thrill that comes with speeding. However, faster is not always better. As the saying goes, speed kills.
Speeding contributes to roughly 30% of motor vehicle fatalities every year, killing more than 10,000 people annually. As you can see, speeding is dangerous. Speed also affects your safety even when you are driving at the speed limit but too fast for road conditions. As a driver, speeding endangers not only your life but the lives of others.
Speeding is illegal, but that’s not all. Going too fast also comes with the following consequences:
- Potential for loss of control
- Increased stopping distance after applying the brakes
- Increased degree of crash severity, leading to more severe injuries
- Increased fuel consumption
What Drives People to Speed?
Here are some reasons why drivers speed:
- Traffic congestion is one of the most frequently mentioned contributing factors to aggressive driving. Drivers may respond by using aggressive driving behaviors, including speeding, changing lanes frequently, or even engaging in road rage toward others.
- Running late. We all live busy lives. Some people speed because they have too much to do and are running late for work, school, or appointments.
- A motor vehicle insulates the driver from the rest of the world. A driver can develop a sense of detachment. This can lead to some people feeling less constrained in their behavior.
- People get used to driving on the same roads every day and the familiarity may cause them to go faster than usual.
- It can be exciting to drive fast, especially on a stretch of road with no traffic. This can be exciting in a fast sports car.
Other Things to Know About Speeding
- Young men are statistically more likely to have fatal speeding accidents. The number of speed-related crashes steadily decreases with age. While 36% of fatal accidents involving male drivers ages 15 to 20 years old have speed as a contributing factor, fatal speeding accidents make up just 8% of total accidents for drivers over the age of 75.
- Accidents happen more often on local roads than interstates, freeways, and expressways. Local, principal arterials, and minor arterials account for 63% of speed-related accident fatalities.
- While only 18% of fatal speeding accidents occur in dry driving conditions, 40% happen on icy roads.
- Your crash risk increases incrementally for every mile per hour over the speed limit.
- Half of teen drivers say they sometimes drive at least 10 miles per hour over the speed limit.
Contact Us Today
Speeding can be exciting, but it’s also dangerous. It makes collisions more likely to occur and also more deadly due to the impact involved.
The Kissimmee auto accident lawyers at Draper Law Office can help you navigate the complexities of a crash. We’ll work with insurance companies and other entities to get you the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation, call (407) 743-6628 or fill out the online form.
Source:
defensivedriving.org/dmv-handbook/speed-kills-what-every-driver-needs-to-know-about-the-dangers-of-speeding/
