Speeding - Some Facts

A few facts about speedingDrivers who constantly drive fast irrespective of conditions are 3 to 5 times more likely to have a crash than those who don'tWhen driving at higher speeds you have less time to process fresh informationThe faster you go the further you need to lookThe faster you go the less foreground information you can take inWhen your road speed doubles your braking distance quadruples

Situations where you might find yourself going faster than you think you areWhen you come off a motorway or other such fast road and into a lower speed limit zoneWhen you have been driving at higher speeds and are approaching junctions and roundaboutsIn low visibility such as fog, sleet, snow, heavy rain and when driving at nightWide open roads will feel slower than narrow roadsIf you are driving a bigger more powerful car than what you normally drive. This is due to the smoothness, less noises and less vibrations

Safe use of speedAlways drive at a speed where in the event of an emergency you can pull up within your zone of vision under full control and on your side of the roadNever drive faster than you feel comfortable. Every driver has their own speed limit which is the highest speed at which they feel safe and comfortable in any given situation. Know your limit and don't exceed it.

Driving at night stopping distance and zones of visionFull Beam zone of vision = 100 metres (328 feet) Therefore it would be safe to drive at 70 mphDipped headlights zone of vision = 40 metres (130 feet) Therefore the ideal safe maximum speed should not be more than 40 mph

  © Road-Survival 2012