Driving too fast for the conditions is a major cause of crashes. Excessive speed contributes to 12% of all injury collisions, 18% of crashes resulting in a serious injury and 28% of all collisions which result in a fatality.This means that around 1,000 people are killed each year on Britain’s roads because drivers and riders travel too fast. Approximately two-thirds of all crashes in which people are killed or injured happen on roads with a speed limit of 30 mph or less. However, around 45% of fatal and serious road casualties, and 54% of fatalities, occur on rural roads which have higher speed limits. At 30 mph vehicles are travelling at 44 feet (about 3 car lengths) each second. One short glance away and the driver may fail to see the tell-tale movement of a child behind a parked car. Even in good conditions, the difference in stopping distance between 30 mph and 35 mph is an extra 21 feet, more than 2 car lengths. At 35 mph a driver is twice as likely to kill someone as they are at 30 mph. . Hit by a car at 20 mph, 1 out of 40 pedestrians will be killed. 97% will survive. . Hit by a car at 30 mph, 2 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed. 80% will survive. . Hit by a car at 35 mph, 5 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed. 50% will survive. . Hit by a car at 40 mph, 9 out of 10 pedestrians will be killed. 10% will survive. Unfortunately, most drivers exceed the speed limit at some time. Over half (53%) of car drivers, 48% of motorcyclists and 49% of HGV drivers exceed the 30mph speed limit in urban areas. On 40mph roads, over one quarter (27%) of car drivers and 36% of motorcyclists exceed the 40mph speed limit. Reducing the average running speed of vehicles by just 1 mph would reduce the number of accidents by 5%.The greatest benefit would come from reducing the speeds of the faster drivers. Drivers who exceed speed limits are more likely to be involved in crashes.They are also more likely to commit other road traffic offences such as close following, red-light running, and drinking and driving. (Author/publisher)
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