Wise up!
An aeroplane full of passengers is safe at 400mph in the air but if it hits the ground at that speed -everyone dies. This is why planes slow down before the runway, and make sure that the runway is clear before landing – to avoid impact. At the other end of the speed scale, a car driver who hits a toddler while reversing at 3mph in a driveway could kill.
It’s not the speed, it’s the impact! As a safe driver you will reduce the risk to yourself and others by reducing the risk of impact.
Doubling your speed quadruples the momentum – a Northern Ireland road safety advert that was banned in the rest of the UK had the tag line – the faster the speed, the bigger the mess – only watch the video on the right if you have a strong constitution.
There’s nothing wrong with speed – it often gets you there quicker on fast roads and it can be fun but…
The problem is with inappropriate speed.
By all means, go a bit quicker on the safe bits of open road*, if you can be sure that it’s clear and will remain clear* BUT slow down in towns – your average journey time will be the same, you will be more relaxed, and the kids on the street will enjoy more birthdays!
*Be aware that more people die on rural roads… See this info from RoSPA.
If you must kill something – kill your speed in town.
- Hit by a car at 20 mph, 3% of pedestrians will be killed – 97% will survive
- Hit by a car at 35 mph, 50% of pedestrians will be killed – 50% will survive
- Hit by a car at 40 mph, 90% of pedestrians will be killed – 10% will survive
- Hit by a car at 50 mph, greater than 99% of pedestrians will be killed – fewer than 1% will survive
A Utopian solution?
One solution would be to have no speed limits at all. However, limits are necessary to protect pedestrians, drivers who might be old or inexperienced, plus of course ignorant and stupid drivers. I like to drive fast, but I choose to live in, and enjoy the benefits of a collective society (the Western World). In this context, how can I justify my right to kill myself by driving too fast? Some poor bastard will have to scrape me up!
There are thousands of speed traps. We each invent our own. For many, this is a fact of driving life… Just this once or I’ll be late… If I can just pass this idiot in front… You know what yours are. All I suggest is that you become more aware of them. If you think you don’t need this advice you could find that going too fast is dead easy.
It’s your prerogative to agree or disagree with the views about speeding that are expressed here. But PLEASE REMEMBER, whoever you are and whatever you drive – that it’s not only high speed that kills… Any speed can kill.
