Speeding increases crashes

Exceeding the speed limit increases the likelihood of a crash. In poor driving conditions, a crash is more likely if you drive at an inappropriate speed. The speed limit is the maximum allowable speed, but sometimes it is necessary to travel below the speed limit to stay safe.

As your speed increases, your ability to react to emergencies is reduced and stopping distances increase. Other road users also find it more difficult to judge how fast you are travelling.

The faster you drive, the harder you hit

At higher speeds there is a greater likelihood of severe injury or death. Even small increases in travel speed can cause disproportionately large increases in the likelihood of a crash that causes death or serious injury. In a crash your body will keep moving at the travel speed of the vehicle.

Small speed reductions save lives

Research shows if you are travelling in a 60 km/h zone, your chances of being involved in a crash double with every 5 km/h increase in speed. Travelling at 65 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, you are twice as likely to be involved in a crash. A car braking from 65 km/h will still be travelling at 32 km/h at the point where a vehicle braking from 60 km/h has stopped.

Pedestrians are vulnerable to speed

For vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, small differences in travelling speed can mean the difference between life and death. If you collide with a pedestrian, death or serious injury is likely even at relatively low speeds. Although a pedestrian who is hit by a car travelling at 60 km/h has little chance of survival, if the car were travelling at 50 km/h the chance of the pedestrian surviving would be 60 per cent. Lower travelling speeds on our urban roads have contributed to significant reductions in pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries since 2001.

Road trauma costs Victoria

The cost of road trauma to the community is too high. The economic cost of road casualty crashes in Victoria is estimated to be more then $2.9 billion. But the financial cost is nothing compared with the emotional cost to families and friends of losing a loved one on the road.

Slowing down saves lives

Small changes in speed can result in significant reductions in road trauma. Put simply, slowing down saves lives. Research shows that just a 10 per cent reduction in average vehicle travelling speeds could reduce road deaths by 40 per cent.

Speeding saves little time

It’s true! Speeding is a major contributor to Victorian road deaths and trauma, and yet brings about only minor reductions in travel time. On a 10 km journey, you would save 46 seconds by increasing your average speed from 60km/h to 65km/h, but you double your chances of being involved in a crash.

Speeding damages the environment

Increasing your speed also increases dangerous vehicle emissions that damage the environment.

Speed limits are enforced

Breaking the speed limit is illegal. Victoria Police vigorously enforces speed limits, so there is a good chance that if you speed you will be caught. If you break the law by exceeding speed limits, you will be subject to heavy penalties, potentially including fines, loss of licence and imprisonment.

Speeding can result in the suspension or cancellation of your licence. In order to regain your licence, you may be required to satisfy certain re licensing requirements.

Young drivers are overrepresented in car crash statistics. For this reason, learner and probationary drivers may have their driving permit or licence suspended for a minimum of three months if they accumulate five or more demerit points in any 12 month period.

Improved detection of speeding

Speed cameras operate throughout Victoria. Current enforcement measures are continually being strengthened. Measures to improve the detection of speeding drivers include the introduction of:

• fixed site cameras

• mobile cameras

• red light, speed camera systems