How Does Speeding Increase the Risk and Severity of a Crash and Injuries?
First let's learn some terms: 1.
Reaction Time - this is how long a driver takes to see, realize and react to a hazard.
2.
Braking Distance - this is the distance that a car travels while slowing to a complete stop.
Let's combine the two concepts when it comes to Speeding! We can all agree that in 3 seconds your car will travel a greater distance at 65 miles per hour than it does at 45 miles per hour.
Right? Yes! The average time it takes a driver to see, realize and react to a hazard is about 1.
5 seconds.
The reaction time is longer, about as much as 3 seconds for a distracted driver (imagine the reaction time if texting, FaceBooking, or even Intoxicated).
When you are speeding, you increase both the reaction distance and the braking distance, even though your reaction time remains the same.
How you ask? Essentially, a driver speeding will cover more gournd in between seeing and reacting to a hazard than a driver traveling at a slower rate of speed making it more likely to crash into the hazard at a higher rate of speed, even though it still takes about 1.
5 second in reaction time.
Driver's incapable of reacting fast enough to seen hazards account for about 40% of fatal crashes when speeding (Transport Roads & Traffic Authority).
Speeding also contributes to an increased risk of losing control of your car, more difficult to manoeuvre or take evasive action.
This too causes a car crash to be more severe.
Here's an example: Two cars of equal weight and braking ability travel on the same road.
CAR 1 travels at 50/mph isabout to be overtaken by CAR 2 traveling at 60/mph.
The "hazard" is a child crossing the street about 30 yards away.
CAR 1 and CAR 2 are side-by-side, and both observe the child at the same time and both take about 1.
5 seconds to react and fully apply their brakes.
In the few moments it takes to react and stop, CAR 1 would have had enough space in which to stop without hitting the child, but CAR 2, traveling at a higher rate of speed at the time it impacts with the child, causing serious injury or death.
Slow down, obey the posted speed limits and save a life! Speeding is not the cause of an accident, but rather the driver causes an accident.
However, speeding increases the likihood of a serious accident and death.
The faster you speed, the less time you have to react to "hazards", such as a child, a car, or a pedestrian that may come into your path.
Reaction Time - this is how long a driver takes to see, realize and react to a hazard.
2.
Braking Distance - this is the distance that a car travels while slowing to a complete stop.
Let's combine the two concepts when it comes to Speeding! We can all agree that in 3 seconds your car will travel a greater distance at 65 miles per hour than it does at 45 miles per hour.
Right? Yes! The average time it takes a driver to see, realize and react to a hazard is about 1.
5 seconds.
The reaction time is longer, about as much as 3 seconds for a distracted driver (imagine the reaction time if texting, FaceBooking, or even Intoxicated).
When you are speeding, you increase both the reaction distance and the braking distance, even though your reaction time remains the same.
How you ask? Essentially, a driver speeding will cover more gournd in between seeing and reacting to a hazard than a driver traveling at a slower rate of speed making it more likely to crash into the hazard at a higher rate of speed, even though it still takes about 1.
5 second in reaction time.
Driver's incapable of reacting fast enough to seen hazards account for about 40% of fatal crashes when speeding (Transport Roads & Traffic Authority).
Speeding also contributes to an increased risk of losing control of your car, more difficult to manoeuvre or take evasive action.
This too causes a car crash to be more severe.
Here's an example: Two cars of equal weight and braking ability travel on the same road.
CAR 1 travels at 50/mph isabout to be overtaken by CAR 2 traveling at 60/mph.
The "hazard" is a child crossing the street about 30 yards away.
CAR 1 and CAR 2 are side-by-side, and both observe the child at the same time and both take about 1.
5 seconds to react and fully apply their brakes.
In the few moments it takes to react and stop, CAR 1 would have had enough space in which to stop without hitting the child, but CAR 2, traveling at a higher rate of speed at the time it impacts with the child, causing serious injury or death.
Slow down, obey the posted speed limits and save a life! Speeding is not the cause of an accident, but rather the driver causes an accident.
However, speeding increases the likihood of a serious accident and death.
The faster you speed, the less time you have to react to "hazards", such as a child, a car, or a pedestrian that may come into your path.
