Officials with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently released the “National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior”. In this new survey, officials report about half of drivers say that speeding is a problem on U.S. roadways. On the other hand, about 20 percent of drivers admit “I try to get where I am going as fast as I can.”
This is a serious problem because speeding accounts for about a third of all traffic accident fatalities in the U.S. each year. From 2002 to 2011, speeding was a factor in about a third of all deadly accidents. These crashed claimed the lives of more than 123,000 people and cost society more than $40 billion each and every year.
Our car accident lawyers understand that we’ve all got places to be, but it’s never a smart decision to put ourselves and innocent travelers in harm’s way just because we’re rushing. Throughout the busy holiday travel season, and particularly with dangerous winter driving conditions, we’re reminding drivers to keep an eye on their speed, obey the posted speed limits, adjust your driving to accommodate the current weather and traffic conditions and to allow plenty of time to get to where you’ve got to be safely.
The “National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior” help officials to get a better grasp on driver’s attitudes and behaviors when it comes to speeding.
Roughly 4 of 5 drivers say that driving at or near the speed limit helps them avoid dangerous driving situations and helps to reduce the risks of an accident. More than 90 percent of drivers agree that “everyone should obey the speed limits because it’s the law.”
Roughly half of drivers say that it was important that officials do something to better regulate drivers’ speeds on our streets.
Regardless of these findings, more than 25 percent of drivers say that they speed without even knowing it and that they like the feeling of driving fast. What’s even worse is that another 20 percent of drivers say that driving above the posted speed limit isn’t dangerous if you’re a skilled driver.
“The need for speed should never trump the need for safe and responsible driving,” said David Strickland, NHTSA Administrator.
Of the drivers who were surveyed, men admitted to speeding a lot more than women. It was the younger drivers (those 16 to 20) who admitted to speeding more than older drivers, too.
Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation‘s (MassDOT) have the Speed Limit Traffic Control Program. The goal of this program is to provide appropriate and enforceable speed limits on all paved streets and highways within the Commonwealth in the best interest of the motoring public’s right to use a roadway in a reasonable and proper manner. The ideal speed limit is both acceptable to the prudent driver and enforceable by police.
If you or a loved one was involved in a motor-vehicle accident, contact Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777 today.
More Blog Entries:
Snowy Roads Blamed for Driver’s Death, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, December 16, 2013
Government Turns to Technology to Reduce Car Accidents Caused By Dangerous Choices, Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog, December 13, 2013