Why is speeding dangerous?

For a lot of drivers, it is not intuitive why speeding is dangerous. They feel that they can be just as safe driving above the posted speed limit signs. Unfortunately, the statistics say otherwise.

Transport Canada published a report in June 2008 with detailed information about why speeding is dangerous. Two of the most sobering statistics from the report are:

In 2002-2004, more than 700 people were killed and more than 3,500 were seriously injured annually in speed-related crashes.

Speeding is a factor in about 25% of deaths from vehicle crashes.

Transport Canada reasons that speed limits are the limits for a reason, to go faster on those roads is unsafe. They go onto say drivers focus too much on the thrill of speeding and ignore the risks. I think it’s important to remember that there are plenty of ways to get your thrills in this world, from roller coasters to skydiving that don’t involve as much risk to yourself or others. Even if the thrill involves more risk to you, you aren’t risking the lives of innocents.

The report continues on to say that speeding accounts for about the same number of deaths as drunk driving. So keep that in mind next time you feel the need for speed.

That’s all for this blog. I might go over some more stuff from this report in a later blog. Thanks for reading!

Learn how to get where you’re going with Derek Brown’s Academy of Driving, a Calgary Driving school

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