The topic of speeding is a little more delicate than it may seem at first, but it should not always be thought of as a bad thing. I mean, aside from the displeasure some people feel when breaking the law, oftentimes speed limits are just plain too low, they impede your own movement and the flow of traffic.
If you like to regularly exceed the limit, then in the US, you’re one in five as a recent survey carried out for the National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.
They quote the 10,000 deaths recorded per year in the US and attribute them to speeding; in the decade spanning from 2002 through 2011, it was also said to be the main cause for one third of the recorded accident fatalities (123,804 lives in total).
“We all have places we need to go, but it’s never the right decision to put ourselves, our families and others in harm’s way to get there faster,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. He added, “this is another reminder, as the busy holiday season approaches, to obey speed limits, reduce speed in inclement weather conditions and allow plenty of time to arrive safely.”
It’s funny, how the survey reveals that 91 percent of those questioned said the speed limit should be obeyed because “it’s the law,” not because it enhances their safety and the safety of others.
Furthermore, 48 percent of surveyors shared their wish that something should be done about all the speeding that goes on in the country; males were found to be more prone to speeding than females, as were young and inexperienced drivers aged 16 to 20.
Finally, 16 percent of those asked said that “driving over the speed limit is not dangerous for skilled drivers;” while a quarter said, “I enjoy the feeling of driving fast.”
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: NHTSA via Forbes
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