We all find ourselves speeding down the road. Whether you’re late picking kids up from school, late for a meeting or catching up with friends, you are risking your life and the life of other fellow drivers. Speeding accounts for more than one-quarter of all traffic-related fatalities nationally. In 2020 alone, there were 11,258* people killed in speeding-related traffic crashes. This loss of life represented a dramatic increase (17%) in speeding-related crash fatalities from 2019-2020, with another projected 5% increase from 2020 to 2021*.

The past few years have seen an increase in risk-taking and careless driving. No matter how safe of a driver you think you may be, speeding is dangerous. Speed limits aren’t a suggestion, they are the law. Obeying these posted speed limits keep drivers and passengers safe. Although advancements in vehicle safety and passenger protection have progressed extraordinarily over the past few decades, it is still a driver’s responsibility to control their speed while behind the wheel.

Young people and motorcyclists are especially susceptible to high speeds, and they represent the largest demographic involved in speeding-related vehicle crashes. In 2020, 27% of male drivers ages 18-44 and 16% of female drivers ages 18-44 involved in fatal crashes in 2020 were speeding*.

Alcohol and weather also increase the likelihood of a crash while speeding. In 2020, 37% of the drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding and had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, compared to 17% of non-speeding drivers. And the chances of a vehicle crash on wet roads increases drastically when a driver is speeding*.

Speeding is more than just breaking the law. The consequences are far-ranging:

  • Greater potential for loss of vehicle control;
  • Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment;
  • Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger;
  • Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries;
  • Economic implications of a speed-related crash; and
  • Increased fuel consumption/cost.

Although collision repairs centers business is to repair vehicles after an accident, we fully support every effort to reduce the speed of all vehicles. This is about human lives, even animals. We are urging our community to please slow down and obey posted signs. The choices you make behind the wheel could help save lives. Ultimately, Speeding Catches Up with You.”

For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding

* U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)