Excessive Speed
• Speed plays a factor in nearly 10,000 deaths per year.
• Drivers are more likely to be seriously injured or killed at higher speeds.
• Excessive speed extends a vehicle’s stopping distance.
• The faster the speed, the greater the distance needed to stop safely.
• Checking a text for five seconds while driving at 90 kph or 55 mph is like traveling the length of a football field — blindfolded.
Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to avoid a crash.
• A driver makes 160 driving decisions per mile on average.
• Driving requires full concentration and attention for split-second decision-making.
• Failure to make good decisions can put a driver and others at risk of injury or death
What Drives Speeding?
Traffic
Traffic congestion is one of the most frequently mentioned contributing factors to aggressive driving, such as speeding. Drivers may respond by using aggressive driving behaviors, including speeding, changing lanes frequently, or becoming angry at anyone who they believe impedes their progress.
Running Late
Some people drive aggressively because they feel that they need to be at their destination at a certain time. FedEx bases your run at an average speed of 54 miles an hour. This gives you plenty of time to make it to your destination in a timely manner. No need to rush.
Anonymity
A motor vehicle insulates the driver from the world. Shielded from the outside environment, a driver can develop a sense of detachment, as if an observer of their surroundings, rather than a participant. This can lead to some people feeling less constrained in their behavior when they cannot be seen by others and/or when it is unlikely that they will ever again see those who witness their behavior.
Disregard for Others and For the Law
If it seems that there are more cases of rude and outrageous behavior on the road now than in the past, the observation is correct—if for no other reason then there are more drivers driving more miles on the same roads than ever before.
