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ACCIDENTS AND SPEED

Speeding can be defined as exceeding the posted speed limit and driving too fast for conditions. Unfortunately many people do not view obeying speed limits as an important way to avoid crashes. Speeding is regarded as a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. The important factors to consider are the following:

• Speed reduces the amount of available time needed to avoid a crash / to stop the vehicle
• Speed extends the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a dangerous situation
• Speed reduces the ability of the driver to steer safely around curves or objects on the road
• Speed increases the likelihood of crashing
• Speed increases the severity of a crash once it occurs

The Arrive Alive Campaign is aware that the public needs to be made more aware of the dangers of speeding. If speeding is to be combated more effectively, we would have to devote increased resources to better enforcement, including more law officers to patrol the roads and we must support technological advances such as video cameras [“photo radar”] to target aggressive speeding drivers. We would also have to consider the effective development of speed calming devices in road engineering especially in specific rural areas.

Alcohol and speeding are a deadly combination. Research in the USA has indicated that a much higher percentage of intoxicated drivers who were involved in fatal crashes, were speeding than sober drivers involved in fatal crashes. Young male drivers are most likely to be involved in fatal accidents where speeding and alcohol are prevalent.

Many speed related crash reduction efforts try to utilize the 5E’s strategy namely Education, Enforcement, Empowerment, Engineering and Evaluation. It is however the drivers responsibility to obey the traffic laws and to be sure that all passengers are safely seated and belted.

extracted from: http://www.arrivealive.co.za