Better slow down
A message from the Federal Highway Administration

Speeding is a significant threat to public safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers who exceed the posted speed limit or drive too fast for conditions are involved in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. Each year, more than 13,000 people are killed in speeding-related crashes; and the economic cost of speeding-related crashes is about $52 billion.

Below are additional facts about speeding (sources: Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and NHTSA, Fatality Analysis Reporting System data 2010-2102):

  • The majority of speeding-related crashes occur on roads that are not part of the Interstate system.
  • More speeding-related fatal crashes occur on local streets and minor arterials than other roadway types.
  • Drivers with a blood-alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher make up almost 44 percent of all fatal speeding-related crashes.
  • Motorcycle fatalities are more likely to be speeding-related than other vehicle types.
  • More than one-third of work-zone fatal crashes are speeding-related.
  • The average risk of death for a pedestrian reaches 10 percent at an impact speed of 23 mph, 25 percent at 32 mph, 50 percent at 42 mph, 75 percent at 50 mph, and 90 percent at 58 mph.

Why should we slow down? Driving at a reasonable speed has many benefits: It decreases the potential for loss of vehicle control; reduces the severity of crashes; increases the effectiveness of occupant protection equipment (e.g., seat belts, child seats, and airbags); allows drivers more time to assess hazards and avoid potential crashes; and saves gas.

FHWA urges drivers to follow these tips to keep our transportation system safe:

Obey the law - Speed limits are there for a reason, so stick to them.

Understand that excessive speeding is BAD driving - Some drivers fail to accept that driving too fast is also poor driving despite the fact that this is a factor in thousands of deaths and injuries every year.

Be careful around curves - Stay in control and give yourself time to react to unexpected hazards by braking before the curve, not in it.

Watch out for road conditions - In certain road conditions, including fog, rain, ice, and heavy traffic flow, slow down and keep more space on all sides of your car.

Don't try to rush - Driving slightly slower will not add more than a few minutes to your journey, but may help to avoid a crash. For example, driving 30 mph rather than 35 mph will only take two more minutes for a 10-mile trip.

Be COURTEOUS - - Slow down and save lives.

What is the USDOT doing about Speed Management?

The United States Department of Transportation works collaboratively with state and local governments to address speeding on our nation's roadways. An intermodal "speed team" has been chartered to advance the mission of the DOT by focusing on speed management and speeding-related crashes. The FHWA, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and NHTSA worked together to develop the Speed Management Program Plan http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/ref_mats/docs/speedmgtprogplan812028.pdf.

This plan identifies the federal effort and specific actions to be taken by the DOT to effectively address managing speed and reducing speeding-related crash risk.

Resources:
Check out this video prepared by NHTSA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKGqz_IeoYk

For additional information, please visit these sites:
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/
http://www.nhtsa.gov/Aggressive

Published 07-10-15