SmartDrive Shows Data on Risks and Costs of Speeding

The approach is designed to illuminate key observations that distinguish speeding drivers as compared to all other drivers. With validation through video analysis, these findings clearly demonstrate that drivers who speed are more likely to take other risks, be involved in near collisions and waste more fuel compared to their non-speeding colleagues. Significant conclusions include drivers who speed are:

• Nearly 3x more likely to practice unsafe following distances
• 45 percent more likely to be involved in a near collision
• 54 percent more likely to cross the median or center line of the roadway
• More than 2.5x more likely to be distracted while driving
• Consistently more likely to fail to comply with stop signs and red lights
• More likely to engage in unsafe lane changing, merging, passing, braking and turning
• 3.7x more likely to drive with two hands off the wheel
• More likely to waste fuel; highway MPG for speeding drivers is 2.7 percent lower than all other drivers

The costs of speeding are indeed high.  Consider this: TheNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that the total comprehensive cost of speeding is $203 billion. According to NHTSA:

• 83 percent of drivers surveyed believe driving is a safety concern, yet 64 percent say they are comfortable speeding
• 27 percent of all fatal automobile crashes involve drivers who were speeding
• Speeding-related fatalities increased by 4 percent from 2015 to 2016
• 15 percent of speeding-related fatalities occurred on interstate highways and drivers involved in fatal crashes tend to speed more frequently at night

“Although speeding continues to be one of the most serious problems facing the commercial transportation industry, speed limits continue to increase across the country,” stated Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. “While everyone understands speeding is dangerous, only video safety—deployed with a cab-facing camera—provides objective measurement of the associated driving risks and the price fleets pay as a result of collisions caused by speeding, associated legal claims and vehicle damages, as well as wasted fuel.