Life Goes By Way Too Fast to Not Slow Down

[spee ding] Speeding Defined Speeding isn’t just exceeding the posted speed limit. Driving too fast for current weather and road conditions also is considered speeding. 2 / 15

Speed and Reaction Time In the best of conditions, the average time it takes for most drivers to process what is happening ahead of them and to begin to apply the brakes is 1.5 seconds.* 1.5 *NSW Centre for Road Safety 3 / 15

Speed Affects Distance Traveled During Reaction Time The faster your vehicle is going, the farther the distance traveled while you process what is happening ahead of you. 4 / 15

Speed and Human Factors Processing what is happening ahead of you and getting your foot on the brake are both components of human factors, meaning they can be affected by: Drowsiness and/or fatigue Alcohol consumption Use of some over-the-counter or prescription drugs Manual, visual or cognitive distraction 5 / 15

Drowsy, Impaired, or Distracted Processing Distance Speed, Delayed Processing, and Stopping Distance (Examples) Typical Processing Distance Braking Distance 40 ft (12 m) 1.5 secs 20 ft Drowsy, Impaired, or Distracted Processing Distance 20 mph 32 km/h 60 ft (18 m) 3 seconds / 40 ft 20 ft Typical processing time is 1.5 seconds. A driver who is drowsy, distracted, or impaired by drugs or alcohol may take as long as 3 critical seconds to react.* 119 ft (36 m) 1.5 secs / 40 ft 79 ft 40 mph 64 km/h 159 ft (48 m) 3 seconds / 80 ft 79 ft 240 ft (73 m) 1.5 secs / 60 ft 180 ft 60 mph 96 km/h 3 seconds / 120 ft 180 ft 300 ft / (91 m) *NSW Centre for Road Safety 6 / 15

Speed Plus Other Factors that Affect Stopping Distance Weather / Road conditions Condition of tires and brakes 7 / 15

Speed and Kinetic Energy The faster you drive, the greater the severity of impact and the energy that must be absorbed. 8 / 15

Speed and Pedestrians Drivers are twice as likely to kill a pedestrian on impact if they are traveling at 30 mph (50 km/h) vs. 25 mph (40 km/h).* *Waltz, F. H., Hoefliger, M. and Fehlmann, W., Speed limit reduction from 60 to 50 km/h and pedestrian injuries 9 / 15

Speed of Impact Affects How Well Safety Features Work The effectiveness of restraint devices like air bags, seat belts, crumple zones and side beams decline as impact speed increases.  10 / 15

Speeding Can Be Costly (Even Without a Crash) Ticket fines Higher insurance premiums Possible license suspension Possible criminal record Possible loss of job 11 / 15

Speeding Saves Very Little Time On a 5-mile trip, driving 65 mph (104 km/h) on a 45-mph (72 km/h) road saves less than 2 minutes.* *AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. (2016). Speeding, AAA Exchange. 12 / 15

Ways to Avoid Speeding Careful route planning saves more time than speeding. Check traffic apps before you leave to help avoid congestion. Full mirror sweeps are recommended every 5-7 seconds. Include checking the speedometer to keep your eye on your speed and avoid accidental speeding. Use cruise control selectively. Set at a legal, safe speed, taking into account weather and road conditions. Cruise control is not recommended on city streets, in heavy traffic, on hilly, curvy, slippery, wet, snowy, or icy roads. Consider a driving playlist or tune in to an “easy listening” station to help reduce stress and help you slow down. Leave 5-10 minutes early! 13 / 15

One More Thing… In a motor vehicle crash, an unbelted occupant actually suffers 3 crashes*: 1) Vehicle collision The vehicle crashes into another vehicle or fixed object such as a guard rail or tree; 2) Human collision The body crashes into other occupants and/or the interior of the vehicle, or is thrown out of the vehicle through one of the windows; and 3) Internal collision Internal organs crash against each other and/or the body's skeletal structure. Buckle Up- on every trip, every time. And be sure your passengers do, too. * Source: NHTSA 14 / 15

Life Goes By Way Too Fast to Not BUCKLE UP and SLOW DOWN! www.trafficsafety.org 15 / 15