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Speed kills

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Abraham Malit
  • 305th Air Mobility Wing safety
McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  People speed for many reasons. Some are in a hurry. Some are running late all the time. Others enjoy the thrill of speeding and evading the radar guns. Others are comfortable going the "acceptable" speed of 5 or 10 miles over the limit. Many have forgotten what limit means. Regardless of reasons, everyone should understand exceeding the speed limit or driving too fast for conditions is one of the leading contributors to traffic crashes. As speed increases, crash rates increase. 

Despite that, most drivers believe speeding is ok. In a national Drive for Life poll conducted last year by Mason-Dixon, 71 percent of drivers - even seniors - said they speed and most believe it's ok to routinely exceed the speed limit by 5 mph. One in three men surveyed believe it's ok to exceed the speed limit by 10 mph. 

Most crashes (57 percent) occur at 40 mph or less, but most fatal crashes occur at top speeds. More than half of fatal crashes in 2002 occurred on roads with posted speed limits of 55 mph or more. But these roads are not necessarily in urban areas. In fact, 42 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities occurred on rural roads with cars traveling at 55 mph or greater. 

Speeding also leads to excessive lane changes, which contribute to crashes. More than 43 percent of all motor vehicle crashes reported in 2001 involved a lane change or road departure. The U.S. Department of Transportation reports 55 percent of fatal accidents are caused by unintended lane departure, including veering off the road. 

Here are some driving tips to avoid crashes:

1. Drive the speed limit. Speeding limits your ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the road and extends the distance needed to stop.

2. Do not let the car behind you pressure you to speed. Let them pass you. 

3. Slow down even below the speed limit in rainy, icy or snowy weather or on a road that is under construction. 

4. Do not tailgate. Allow three seconds or more between the time when the car in front of you passes a fixed object and when you pass it. 

5. Generally keep pace with the flow of traffic. Driving much slower than the cars around you also can increase the chances of a collision. 

The bottom line is ... speed kills -- don't do it!

A word from the 305th Security Forces Squadron regarding speeding - 

Vehicle operators are responsible for knowing and complying with civil and military instructions and regulations governing the operation of motor vehicles.

The following speed limits are posted at McGuire Air Force Base:

10 mph in parking lots

15 mph on School House Road in Falcon Courts North housing

25 mph unless otherwise posted. If there is no posted speed limit, it is presumed the speed limit is 25 mph.

There are consequences to speeding. In addition to fines, violators may have their license suspended or even revoked.