Speed Managment Safety
Posted on Tue, Feb 02, 2010 @ 09:34 AM
Another series of articles on Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) safety by Kevin Mullen,
Director of Safety at ADS LOGISTICS CO, LLC.
Most motor vehicle crashes are investigated by trained and qualified crash investigators. As part of their investigation they attribute cause(s) for the crash when ascertainable. The #1 cause of all crashes (not just CMV crashes) when a cause is attributed, is speed. (In 2008 of 37,261 fatalities 11,674 [31%] were speeding related.)
Speed increases the distance necessary for a vehicle to stop in the event of a hazardous occurrence. Speed also decreases the time the driver has to recognize and react to the occurrence. Simply stated, speed reduces or eliminates any margin for safely avoiding a crash. Speeding not only means traveling over the posted speed limit but also driving too fast for conditions. Did you know speed limits are posted for ideal conditions? Driving the posted speed limit when road or weather conditions are poor is an infraction in most states.
Likewise, when investigators are able to determine a contributing factor for the severity of an accident (property damage, injury or fatality) the #1 contributing factor for severity is speed as well. Think about it… a vehicle traveling 65 MPH (or faster) generates more force than a vehicle traveling 55 MPH. It’s simple physics.
So often today we're in a rush to get somewhere. Many times we don't even leave early enough to allow ourselves sufficient time to drive the speed limit. Coupled with delays en route we think speeding is the only option. Being late (again) could mean getting fired. If you're late picking up the kids at day care they charge a fee. The excuses go on and on.
Think about how lame that excuse will sound when you’re involved in a crash you could have avoided had you been driving the speed limit or a speed reasonable for road and weather conditions. Think about how foolish that excuse will sound when someone (perhaps in your own vehicle) has been injured or killed as a result of your speeding.
Let’s resolve to get up earlier, leave earlier, and allow ourselves sufficient time to get where we’re going without speeding. Let’s allow ourselves time in our commute for heavier than normal traffic or a delay caused by a crash.
Let’s resolve not to put our lives or the lives of others at risk by speeding. The next time you consider speeding stop and think… is your reason (excuse) worth the risk?
Speeding is not a victimless crime. Speeding is the #1 cause of all crashes and the #1 contributing factor to the severity of all crashes. Speed-related crashes cost billions.
Speed kills… literally!