Dangerous Driving Habits Up Close – Speeding

More than a quarter of vehicle-related deaths are caused by speeding. Statistically, younger drivers are more likely to speed, and more people speed at night than during the day. While getting into a severe accident is the worst outcome of speeding, there are other aspects of your life that it can affect negatively.

Non-Accident Results of Speeding

  • First, the expense of a speeding ticket is extremely high. Not only the cost of a ticket, but the increase in your insurance rates, which could last three years or more.
  • Also, speeding compromises your car’s safety features. Things like air bags, antilock brakes, and other safety features were not designed for a car traveling over the speed limit.
  • In addition, speeding reduces the fuel efficiency of your car.

Speeding Accidents

Of course, the worst consequence of speeding is getting into an accident. Not only are you more likely to get into an accident if you are speeding, but the severity of the accident is increased by every mile per hour you are going over the speed limit.
When you speed:

  • There is less time to react to emergency situations, such as the driver ahead of you stopping very suddenly.
  • Your braking distance increases exponentially. It takes four times as long to stop at 60 mph than it does at 30 mph. The faster you go, the greater the increase.
  • The impact energy increases. The faster you’re driving, the worse damage the crash will cause.

Stopping Distance

Stopping distance is specifically what causes speeding to be so dangerous. At the speed limit, in good weather and road conditions, you should allow two full seconds to pass before reaching the same spot as the car in front of you. Four factors affect stopping distance:

  • Perception Time – How quickly you realize action needs to be taken. Highly impaired by drugs, alcohol, or distraction.
  • Reaction Time – How quickly you react to the situation once you perceive it. Also impaired negatively by drugs, alcohol, or distraction.
  • Vehicle Reaction Time – Some vehicles respond more quickly to the driver’s actions, such as steering or stepping on the brakes. Know your vehicles limitations, and if necessary, increase the distance between you and the car in front of you to three or four seconds, if possible.
  • Vehicle Braking Capability – This involves the quality of your braking system, as well as the quality of your tires. Practice in a parking lot to get a realistic idea of how quickly your car brakes.

Simple Fix

All the horrific damage that can occur as a result of speeding can easily be avoided. Respect the speed limit. If you’d like more details on how speeding can affect your insurance policy, give your Baldwin Woodville representative a call.