Dangers of Speeding- General Driver Safety
Do you have a reputation as a “lead foot”? Do you consistently drive at least 5 mph over the speed limit? For many people, bending the rules on speed limits doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. We can get caught up in making excuses - we’re late for work, we got caught behind a slow driver and have to make up time, or we’re just plain impatient. But the thing is, speeding is a risk factor, and the more risk factors you have behind the wheel, the more likely you are to get into an accident.
In all motor vehicle crashes, speeding is one of the top three causes of car crashes in America[1]. Speeding is involved in 33% of all car crashes[2], and as vehicle speed goes up, so do the fatalities. Many drivers don’t take speeding seriously, but as a nation, we paid over $6 billion in speeding tickets and speed-induced car crashes cost us $40 billion annually, according to the NHTSA. At iRideSafe™ we think it’s important to understand speeding for the risky activity it really is, and we hope you and your family take time to look through our helpful videos and handouts to reinforce good driving practices to keep you safe on the road.
Here in Georgia, we have something called the Super Speeder Law, which cracks down on drivers who blatantly disregard speed limits and endanger themselves and others. It carries a hefty, incremental $200 fine* for anyone convicted of a “super speeder violation”, which is:
- Driving 75 mph or more on a 2-lane road OR
- Driving 85 mph or more on any road or state highway
* Please note that this $200 fee is in addition to the fines and fees paid to the jurisdiction where the speeding offense took place.
Knowing the steep consequences of breaking Georgia’s driving laws can help remind you to stay calm and slow down next time you’re feeling impatient on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that speeding is a common co-factor with other risky driving behaviors, and there are certain groups of people that are especially at risk for a speed-related crash:
- Young men ages 16-30
- Drivers who have one or more speeding tickets
- Drivers who have had a DUI
- Drivers who don’t wear seat belts
- Distracted drivers
While many people tend to bend the rules on speeding on major highways, these are actually not the most common places that drivers tend to speed. Forty-seven percent (47%) of speeders are on roads with speed limits of 50 mph or less, and over 20% are on roads marked as 35 mph or less1. So no matter where you are, chances are good that a speeding driver may be approaching.
If you want to learn how to be a safer and more responsible driver, check out our handy resources and ask your friends and loved ones to obey the posted speed limits. Thousands of people needlessly lose their lives to speeding each year, and we don’t want you or your family members to become one of them.
For more information regarding state laws in Georgia, click here:
http://ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/bystate/ga.html
Additional Sources:
National Safety Council
Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Other Resources