Speed A Little Lose A Lot This Week In North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Transportation kicked off its Speed A Little Lose A Lot campaign this week. The campaign is a part of the Governer’s Highway Safety Program. Its mission is to help encourage North Carolinians to slow down on the roads and be aware of the dangers of speeding including the potential loss of life. And honestly, North Carolina drivers especially those in Charlotte could use this reminder.
If you’re offended by this sorry but it’s probably about you. The other day I was trying to switch to the lefthand lane on a street where the speed limit is 30 mph. The speed of traffic was much higher, around 40-45 in the right lane, and it was still almost impossible to merge into the left. I get you to have to get to work, but slow down. And daily I see 4-5 cars blatantly run red lights. Let’s not even talk about 4-way stops.
North Carolina Speeding Statistics: (From NCDOT)
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424 people died in speeding-related crashes in North Carolina in 2021.
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Speeding was a contributing factor in nearly 25 percent of all fatal crashes.
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91 percent of speed-related fatalities occurred on non-interstate roads; 9 percent occurred on interstate highways.
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From 2017 to 2021, males made up the largest percentage (75 percent) of speed-related crash fatalities. Males under the age of 39 account for nearly half of all speeding-related crashes.
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From 2017 to 2021, there was a 17 percent increase in speed-related crash fatalities.
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From 2017 to 2021, 27 percent of speed-related crash fatalities occurred in the Top 5 Counties (Mecklenburg, Guilford, Wake, Robeson, and Cumberland)
Speed A Little Lose A Lot
- Reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway
- Extends the distance traveled before a vehicle can stop
- Increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard
- Increases the risk of crashes and injuries, because other vehicles and pedestrians might not be able to judge distance correctly
When a driver crashes on a road with a speed limit while going a speed of 65 mph or higher, the risk of fatality is twice as high as when the limit is 45 or 50 mph. And it’s nearly five times as high as when the speed limit is below 40 mph. So remember North Carolina, speed a little lose a lot. Be safe out there!
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