Approximately 6.2 million reported crashes occurred in 2004. Speeding-related crashes resulted in 13,192 fatalities in 2004. Speeding - defined as exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions - is a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. Speed reduces the amount of available time needed to avoid a crash, increases the likelihood of crashing and increases the severity of a crash once it occurs. When speed increases from 40 mph to 60 mph, the energy released in a crash more than doubles. Approximately half of all drivers reported keeping up with faster traffic and almost one-third reported being more likely to pass other drivers than to be passed. Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors in motor vehicle crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists speeding as the third leading contributing factor in traffic fatalities. Speeding continues to be cited as a major factor in almost one-third 31% of traffic fatalities nationally and is estimated to cost $40 billion each year. State crash data for local roadways and collector roads also points to speeding as a contributing factor in a significant number of fatal and injury crashes. Today, despite the substantial social and technological changes that have occurred in the past decade, speeding remains an important public policy and traffic safety issue. States are becoming increasingly concerned that gains made in the areas of safety restraint usage and impaired driving have been offset by increased fatalities and injuries due to higher speeds.
Speeding reduces a driver's abilty to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway. Speeding extends the distance necessary for a vehicle to stop. Speeding increases the distance a vehicle travels when the driver reacts to a hazard. Speeding decreases the effectiveness of vehicle safety features sach as airbags, restraint systems, and sturctural integrity of the vehicle's chassis. Excessive...