US DOT Report Confirms Speed Not Major Accident Cause

theNewspaper.com ^ | Dec. 15, 2008 | Unknown

[decimon]

US Department of Transportation study finds only five percent of crashes caused by excessive speed.

As lawmakers around the country continue to consider speed limit enforcement as the primary traffic safety measure, the most comprehensive examination of accident causation in thirty years suggests this focus on speed may be misplaced.

[McGruff]

US Department of Transportation study finds only five percent of crashes caused by excessive speed.

ROFL. That's our government experts for you.

[Reeses]

the slower the vehicle's going, the better your chances for surviving the accident.

Going slower doesn't usually help avoiding getting into the accident in the first place though.

[mikey_hates_everything]

“speed limit enforcement as the primary traffic safety measure”

Right, it’s for “safety”. If you had to send the fine to the federal gov’t instead of the local courthouse, there would be no more speed enforcement.

[Deaf Smith]

"everyone knows what constitutes "unavoidable" and "reasonable".

Reasonable would be that OnStar commercial where a driver doesn't want to hit the pretty deer in the road so instead he crashes his vehicle into a tree injuring/killing him and his passengers?

[Alberta's Child]

As lawmakers around the country continue to consider speed limit enforcement as the primary traffic safety measure, the most comprehensive examination of accident causation in thirty years suggests this focus on speed may be misplaced.

Anyone who has read my various posts on this subject over the years knows this already.

Speed isn't a factor in most accidents because roads are "over-designed" to accommodate vehicles traveling much faster than the posted speed limit -- which is why reducing speed limits to improve safety is ridiculous.

A posted speed limit is simply a statutory limit that has nothing to do with the safe operating speed of the roadway in question -- especially for newer roads. If you're on a highway with a posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour, you can probably drive 80+ miles per hour without exceeding the "design speed" of the road. And keep in mind that the design speed under AASHTO design standards is based on stopping sight distance on wet pavement.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Overall, vehicles "traveling too fast for conditions" accounted for only five percent of the critical pre-crash events

Oh yeah? We get gazillions of single car (serious/fatal) accidents on curvy two lane roads here in rural KY. Darn near all of them are speeding. Bardstown Road between Bardstown and Louisville is positively scary at busy times when the road are wet or iced. No, actually even when the road is dry these clowns pass on uphill curves.

I've been in a long line at rush hour making that trek, where you aren't ever going to pass anyone the whole stretch. And still some di*khead stays 3 feet from my rear bumper for the whole way, even though I have 30 cars in front of me.

[musicalee]

Traffic control people are the most hypocritical people in the country. They give tickets and collect our money for going 10 miles over for safety reasons but allow unhelmeted motorcycles on the road. What really chaps me is to hear the advertisements on the radio threatening me for not wearing a seat belt. My tax money to threaten me.

[meyer]

“”I love to drive fast, just for the halibut. Anything for a cheap krill.””

................

“’....I invited her to my place for a midnight bait
I said “Come on baby, it’ll only take a few minnows”
She threw me that same old line
“Not tonight, I gotta haddock”

And she wasn’t kidding either
Cause in came the biggest, meanest looking haddock
I’d ever seen come down the pike
He was covered with mussels....’”

[LonePalm]

As lawmakers around the country continue to consider speed limit enforcement as the primary traffic safety revenue enhancement measure, ....

Fixed

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[jnsun]

When I get pulled over occasionally, I carefully explain to the officer that by going fast I am alleviating traffic congestion. Somewhat like an uphill passing lane I am filling the holes, and overall raising the average speed of the traffic, really a boon to all.

Seldom do they seem to buy into the argument, nor do the judges, who one would think would be at least more perceptive; rather it's like they all just want my money.

[rednesss]

"a few pushy, antagonizing bullies on the road"

Don't camp out in the FAST lane if you aren't going FAST.

http://leftlanedrivers.org/

[dblshot]

“Ding ding ding.....we have a winner!!!”

Thanks. Beats whoop, whoop, whoop!

[CE2949BB]

allow unhelmeted motorcycles on the road.

A helmet is required in California.

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c5a7.htm

[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

I slipped him a fin. On porpoise.

[decimon]

I'm a crappy driver and I acknowledge it, so I always drive at a safe speed and am very cautious.

I will occasionally pull over to let who's behind me by. Maybe I'm not feeling in top form or maybe I just don't feel like going the hurry-up speeds that are the norm.

[Sarajevo]

US DOT Report Confirms Speed Not Major Accident Cause

But it sure does increase the severity of the injuries sustained in an accident.

[Travis T. OJustice]

US DOT Report Confirms Speed Not Major Accident Cause

But it sure does increase the severity of the injuries sustained in an accident.

No it doesn't.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Don't camp out in the FAST lane if you aren't going FAST.

It's not the fast lane, it's the PASSING lane, and you are not supposed to use the left lane unless you are passing.

[rednesss]

"It's not the fast lane, it's the PASSING lane, and you are not supposed to use the left lane unless you are passing."

Tell that to the 2 idiots that always seem to attract each other like opposite poles of a magnet, the one is in the right hand lane going 55.0 MPH and the other is side by side in the left lane going 55.000001 MPH, he's passing slightly slower than glaciers move. Ahead of the 2 idiots is miles and miles of empty, glorious blacktop that can not be reached unless it were legal to mount a .50 cal machine gun on your hood. Both seem to relish the role as highway butt plugs.

[Travis T. OJustice]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEZG14eGmR8