Had one of THOSE kind of drivers last night

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Originally posted by ScarletLSG
[br]Ronin,

I'm CERTAIN that I have one of the longer commutes here in the area. I really believe this. IF everyone would lower their speeds, there would DEFINITELY be less accidents.

ScarletLSG

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Where is the data for the basis of that statement?

>>Where is the data for the basis of that statement?

Here are a few excerpts from studies done in both the UK and US. I've also posted the links, for the reader who would like to read full reports.

UK Study - http://www.slower-speeds.org.uk/kscontents.htm

Speed management offers significant social, environmental and economic benefits. Foremost amongst these is casualty reduction. Every 1mph reduction in average speeds brings a 5% reduction in the number of crashes, and hence in the number of people killed or injured on the roads. This means that even marginal reductions in speed can result in major road safety gains.

US Study - http://www.ou.edu/oupd/speed.htm

Exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast for conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speed is a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. Speed-related crashes cost society more than $23 billion a year.*

Too few drivers view speeding as an immediate risk to their personal safety or the safety of others. Yet, speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, and it extends the distance required to stop a vehicle in emergency situations.

Crash severity increases with the speed of the vehicle at impact. ... ... ...

The probability of death, disfigurement, or debilitating injury grows with higher speed at impact.

Such consequences double for every 10 mph over 50 mph that a vehicle travels.

US Study - http://www.speedlimiters.com/fleetdriver.php

A report in early April 2002 by Market Analysts, Taylor Nelson Sofres, showed that 61% of drivers admitted to regularly exceeding statutory speed limits. Additional speeding facts are:

72% of company car drivers drive in excess of 80 mph on motorways;
68% occasionally or frequently drive faster and less safely due to pressure of work; and keeping to the speed limits only increases overall average journey time by 2.54% (just one and a half minutes in every hour on the road or less than five minutes for a three hour journey). (Source: Leeds/MIRA report) There is no need to speed!

quote:

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Originally posted by ScarletLSG
[br]>>Where is the data for the basis of that statement?


US Study - http://www.ou.edu/oupd/speed.htm

Exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast for conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes. Speed is a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. Speed-related crashes cost society more than $23 billion a year.*

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Uh...this "study" seems to indicate that speed may NOT be a huge factor in highway safety. It indicates that 60% of speed related crashes occur on rural roads. I don't know the relative percentages of highway vs rural traffic but it has to be hugely skewed toward highway. I have been an analyst for many years and, while there isn't enough data here to draw a strong conclusion, this is a very strong indication that excessive speed does not seem to be a major contributing factor to highway crashes. I'm calling for more studies (and more work for analysts).[;)]

ScarletLSG: That disparity in the speed is the reason I hate the "diamond lane" HOVs like on 66. The diamond lanes are flying at 65 while the lane right next to it is crawling along at 20 - it's just a disaster waiting to happen.

I agree that nobody should go a lot slower or a lot faster than the majority of the traffic, but I also think it's a mistake for the slower traffic to park it in the left lane and try to impose their preferred speed on everyone else. It bunches up the traffic and causes more problems - the best thing to do is stay to the right if you are slower.

I've never been a highly skilled driver myself and I'm just not comfortable driving at 80 so I usually can be found in the right lane tooling along at the speed limit.

MYCROFTT,

You won't be lonely in that right lane. That's where I am too!! In fact, after this Friday, I MAY not be in a lane at all. THAT is when I get to go to court for going 82 in the HOV. I recently received the "possible punishments" for this reckless ticket from the state in the mail. EVEN THOUGH it is my first ticket in ALL of my driving years, I COULD get my license suspended for 30 days. YUM!!!

The problem with tooling along in the right lane in HOV is all of the left entrances. So the 80 mph-ers get pissed that the oncoming vehicles aren't going 80 mph on their entrance, so they weave around them in the right line ... and then go up MY a** to swerve back into the left lane. The 95/395 HOV design makes it almost impossible to "stay" in a lane and feel like you can consistently maintain the speed limit. Eventually someone will try to bully you.

UGH. ScarletLSG