5 Essential Driving Speed Tips
5 Essential Driving Speed Tips
5 Essential Driving Speed Tips
If your only information about driving speed was speed limit signs and government road safety campaigns, you would drive everywhere at 10 kilometres under the limit and probably not lower your risk of making acar insurance claim anyway. Today we go a bit deeper than 'Wipe off 5, or wipe out lives', looking at how driving speed affects every aspect of your trip through 5 essential facts.
Know that too slow can be as dangerous as too fast
Did you know that going much slower than the average speed of traffic also frequently causes crashes and car insurance claims? Creating a need for other cars to overtake you (sometimes after they've become frustrated sitting behind you for some time) disturbs the flow of traffic. This idea is borne out by statistics, which show that the fewest crashes happen when travelling around the average speed of traffic. Going too fast will do you no favours either - excess speed is a factor in nearly a third of all crashes that involve a fatality, and 18% of crashes that cause a serious injury.
Know that 'no speed' is safe when you are drunk, fatigued, or texting/talking on a phone
There are plenty of times when your safest driving speed is zero. If you:
MUST take a phone call
Are drunk, or even tipsy
Are fatigued
Are distracted by screaming kids, a full bladder, food in your lap, etc
You should be pulled off to the side of the road (or in some cases, in bed at home), rather than contemplating safe driving speeds. Around 20% of crashes are estimated to involve a fatigued driver, and in many studies, alcohol is listed as the single main cause of injury and death on our roads.
Know your safe stopping distances
There are some very enlightening stopping speed calculators on the web. You input your driving speed, your estimated reaction time (which you can guess at using the 'dropped ruler' test) and the road conditions, and the calculator will tell you how many metres it takes you to stop. Play with the speed figure, and see how the stopping distance changes drastically.
Maintain a consistent speed to save fuel
Speed tips are not all about doom, gloom,car insurance claims and crashes! If you maintain a consistent speed while you are driving, you'll save fuel. Accelerating uses more fuel than coasting, so try to brake and accelerate as little as possible.
Knock your speed down to save fuel
Your car will usually also use more fuel travelling at slightly slower speeds. Do keep this tip in mind in the context of crash avoidance, though - remember that the average speed of the traffic is safest. You'll care little about a couple of dollars saved in fuel if you have to pay hundreds to fix yours or someone else's car.
Your speed (along with the currency of your car insurance!) is one factor on the road over which you have ultimate, second-by-second control. Learn to use it to your advantage and for your own safety!
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