Speeding: NSC

Speeding- National Safety Council

Speeding is a major factor in traffic deaths and injuries. The role of speeding in crashes is described in terms of its effect on the driver, the vehicle, and the road. Excessive speeding reduces the amount of time the driver has to react in a dangerous situation to avoid a crash, increases vehicle stopping distance, and reduces the ability of road safety structures (such as guardrails, impact attenuators, crash cushions, median dividers, and concrete barriers) to protect vehicle occupants in a crash.

Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2021, killing 12,330, or an average of over 33 people per day. The total number of fatal motor-vehicle crashes attributable to speeding was 11,057. A crash is considered speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was indicated as a contributing factor in the crash.

2021 is the third consecutive year with an increase of speeding-related deaths. In addition, the percent of deaths involving speeding (29%) is above the historic low set in 2019 when 26% of deaths involved speeding. Speeding-related deaths increased 7.9% from 2020 and were the most deaths recorded since 2007.

Click here to read the full article from National Safety Council.