We all speed sometimes, especially on our drive to work, but is it worth it? As drivers, we are convinced that speeding will get us to our destination significantly sooner than following the speed limit. However, this is not often the case.
A study by the University of Sydney shows that city drivers who speed gain surprisingly little time: just two minutes per week or 26 seconds per day. Is that small time savings really worth it when speeding is one of the top reasons for car accidents?
Many people who consider themselves safe drivers still speed. Drivers who wouldn’t drive drunk or text while driving may not think of speeding as a problem. It is, however, a dangerous practice, especially in urban areas where there is heavier traffic.
The dangers of speeding
Driving over the speed limit can cause serious vehicle accidents. Speeding can result in issues such as:
- Difficulty controlling the car, especially in wet or icy conditions
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Skidding into intersections while trying to stop
- Failure to react in time to traffic conditions
- Changing lanes too fast and/or cutting off other drivers
- Rear-end collisions
- Multicar pileups
- Rollover accidents
If a speeding driver causes an accident, he or she may be held liable for injuries and property damage. For this reason, and for our own safety, we should consider slowing down and driving the speed limit. Saving just 26 seconds a day is certainly not worth risking our lives or the lives of others on the road.
