Excess or inappropriate speed is a major cause of road crashes.
Breaking the speed limit, or driving too fast for the conditions on the road, contributes to more than 720 deaths and 4,550 injuries in the UK every year.
The latest statistics published by the government show that, in 2013, exceeding the speed limit was reported as a factor in 15 percent of fatal crashes on the UK’s roads. When you add travelling too fast for the weather conditions (13%) to this, the figure rises to 28 percent. (Data from Road Casualties Great Britain: 2013 page 200).
It goes without saying that the faster you drive, the bigger the distance it takes you to stop.
Car drivers and passengers are three times more likely to die on a rural road than a busy urban street. It is therefore important you take extra care when travelling on rural roads.
- Don’t assume that it’s safe to break the speed limit on rural roads just because there is less traffic.
- Be aware that there could be unforeseen and dangerous hazards such as blind bends and animals on the road.
By slowing down, you have more of an opportunity to correct your own mistakes and to react to the errors of others and, should you crash, the slower the impact speed, the higher your chance of surviving.
- Speed limits
- When you should reduce your speed
- Average stopping distances
- Speed limits on other vehicles
- The chance of a pedestrian surviving
95 Alive radio advert – My daddy was driving too fast
Think! – Slow down advert (Extended) (UK)
Think! – It’s 30 for a reason road safety advert
Think! – Crash advert
Think! – Lucky / 30 for a reason – radio advert
95 Alive radio advert – My daddy was driving too fast
Think! – Slow down advert (Extended) (UK)