SPEEDING

Speeding is one of the major causes of fatal crashes in the United States. Roughly 14,000 people die each year in crashes where speed is considered to be a contributing factor. The cost to society for speed-related crashes has been estimated at $40.4 Billion annually, that’s about $1,200 per second. Every type of vehicle exceeds the speed limit at some point, and every type of roadway has its speeders.

Speeding makes it more difficult for a driver to negotiate curves or obstacles, increases the distance needed to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance traveled during the time it takes the driver to react to an emergency. Perception-reaction time has a direct affect on the likelihood of being involved in an accident. A vehicle traveling at 30 miles per hour covers 44 feet each second. During the typical 1½-second reaction time, the vehicle will cover 66 feet before the brake is applied. Tailgaters take note – when you see the brake lights come on in front of you at 30 mph, you will have covered three car lengths before you hit your brakes. At 40 miles per hour, the same vehicle will cover 22 feet more in the same amount of time. As speed increases, the vehicle also requires more and more distance to come to a stop after the brakes are applied. The exact distance varies depending on vehicle weight and equipment. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, about 20 percent of pedestrians struck by a car at 30 mph will die, while about 90 percent will die if struck by a car at 40 mph.

The forces generated at impact increase drastically as the speed increases. In a crash, vehicle structures are designed so as to absorb and deflect some of these forces through their own displacement and/or destruction. Some of these forces can be absorbed by safety belts and air bags.  However, there are limits to the amount of force that can be handled by these methods. With increased speed, it becomes more likely that these limits will be exceeded. Government crash tests for occupant protection consider 30-35 mph to be severe impact speeds.

The fundamental speed law for Massachusetts is to not exceed what is “reasonable and proper” for current conditions (traffic, weather, road conditions, pedestrians etc.). This consideration overrules any posted speed limit. General speed limits are (unless otherwise posted): 50 mph on a divided highway that is not thickly settled; 40 mph on any other roadway outside a thickly settled area; 30 mph in a thickly settled area; and 20 mph in a school zone. The penalties for violations can be quite expensive. The minimum speeding fine is $100, which includes a $50 surcharge for the Head Injury Treatment Services Fund. After the first ten mph over the limit, there is an additional $10 fine for each mile per hour over the limit you are traveling. Thus, 70 mph in a 55 zone would result in a fine of $150. Speeding violations can affect your license and your insurance rates. Any moving violation counts as a “surchargeable event”. If you are found responsible for three speeding violations within a calendar year, your license will be suspended for thirty days. There are more severe penalties for further violations. Each surchargeable event adds points to the calculation of your insurance rate, which could lead to substantial increases to your costs. The only way to dispose of these points is to work them off with a clean driving record (for several years). Junior Operators face additional stiff penalties. A Junior Operator will receive a 90-day license suspension, and be required to complete a SCARR course (State Courts Against Road Rage). A second or subsequent offense will receive a 1-year suspension plus the SCARR course. A $500 reinstatement fee and a second test will be required to restore their license.

What are the benefits of speeding? You might arrive at your destination a few minutes earlier. However, you may be stopped for speeding and receive a citation which could end up costing several hundred dollars in fines and insurance costs. You may be involved in a speed-related crash. Your insurance company may now charge you more for the surchargeable incident. The crash could also injure or kill someone. Instead of speeding, try leaving a little earlier, this also reduces stress and road rage. Pay attention to how fast you are going, you are held responsible for your speed. Speed is enforced with radar and laser devices, by aircraft, speed cameras and VASCAR systems. New car advances have made “black box” technology available. In the event of a crash, these devices can be downloaded to provide information about what the vehicle was doing the instant of the crash.

The risks and consequences of speeding far outweigh the benefits. Yes, you might arrive a few minutes earlier, however, you may not arrive at all.