Study aims to reduce speeding-related crashes

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently released the results of a new safety study aimed at reducing speeding-related passenger vehicle crashes nationwide. The study highlights the scope of speeding-related passenger vehicle crashes, illustrates the risks of speeding and describes driver attitudes toward speeding, both by themselves and by other drivers.

While there are a number of factors that affect the relationship between speed and crash involvement, the NTSB found that speed increases crash risk both in terms of the likelihood of being in a crash and in terms of the severity of injuries sustained by those involved.

Between 2005-2014, speeding was linked to 112,580 highway crash fatalities. Nearly the same number of people (112,948) died in alcohol-related crashes within the same period. The study found that speeding has few negative social consequences compared to that of a DUI arrest or conviction.

The NTSB recommends completion of all actions in the DOT 2014 Speed Management Program Plan, assessment of the effectiveness of point-to-point speed enforcement in the U.S., incentivizing passenger vehicle manufacturers and consumers to adopt intelligent speed adaptation systems, and increasing the adoption of speeding-related Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria Guideline data elements and improving consistency in law enforcement reporting of speeding-related crashes.