How does speeding increase the risk and severity of a crash and injury?

First let’s learn some terms:

1. Reaction time: is the time it takes for a driver to see, realize and react to a hazard.

2. Braking Distance – This is the distance a car travels while slowing down 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 at 45 miles per hour. Right?

Yes! The average time it takes for a driver to see, notice and react to a hazard is approximately 1.5 seconds. Reaction time is longer, about 3 seconds for a distracted driver (imagine the reaction time if you text, FaceBook, or even intoxicated).

When you’re accelerating, you increase both your reaction distance and braking distance, although your reaction time remains the same. How do you ask? Essentially, a speeding driver will cover more time between seeing and reacting to a hazard than a driver traveling at a slower speed, making it more likely to hit the hazard at a higher speed, although it still takes about 1.5 second in reaction time.

Drivers unable to react quickly enough to visible hazards account for about 40% of fatal speeding crashes (Transport Roads & Traffic Authority).

Speeding also contributes to an increased risk of losing control of your car, making it more difficult to maneuver or take evasive action. This also makes a car accident more serious. Here is an example:

Two cars of equal weight and braking capacity are traveling on the same highway. CAR 1 is traveling at 50 mph and is about to be overtaken by CAR 2 traveling at 60 mph. The “danger” is a child crossing the street about 30 meters away. CAR 1 and CAR 2 are side by side, both looking at the child at the same time and both taking approximately 1.5 seconds to react and fully apply the brakes. In the few moments it takes to react and stop, CAR 1 would have had enough space to stop without hitting the child, but CAR 2, which was traveling at a higher speed at the time it collided with the child, seriously injured him. or death

Slow down, obey posted speed limits and save a life! Speeding is not the cause of an accident, rather the driver causes an accident. However, speeding increases the taste for a serious accident and death. The more you accelerate, the less time you have to react to “hazards” such as a child, car, or pedestrian that might cross your path.