Speeding Does Not Cause Accidents
Discussion
DocSteve said:
I suppose if every factor remained the same - driving skill level, conditions, vehicle etc etc - then the faster you go the more likely an accident is to occur and the more severe the outcome may be. This is probably pretty much indisputable unless you argue that driving slowly causes some drivers to lose concentration and paradoxically more likely to have an accident.
The trouble is ]the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
No it isn't.The trouble is ]the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
emmaT2014 said:
DocSteve said:
I suppose if every factor remained the same - driving skill level, conditions, vehicle etc etc - then the faster you go the more likely an accident is to occur and the more severe the outcome may be. This is probably pretty much indisputable unless you argue that driving slowly causes some drivers to lose concentration and paradoxically more likely to have an accident.
The trouble is ]the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
No it isn't.The trouble is ]the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
vonhosen said:
There's nothing in the context that makes that assumption reasonable.
So what was your point then, other than trying to make some spurious connection?Besides, how do you imagine that forcing people to travel at artificially low speeds is going to do anything but increase their desire to go a bit faster?
Phatboy317 said:
vonhosen said:
There's nothing in the context that makes that assumption reasonable.
So what was your point then, other than trying to make some spurious connection?Besides, how do you imagine that forcing people to travel at artificially low speeds is going to do anything but increase their desire to go a bit faster?
I'm just aware of that when choosing my speed rather than ignoring or being in denial of it.
emmaT2014 said:
No it isn't.
I presume you work for the police, especially as your profile states you are from Hendon of driving school fame! The reason I said that is because if you were to ask members of the public "what is the major cause of road accidents?" as a general question I am almost certain that the majority would say speeding.
Phatboy317 said:
vonhosen said:
I'm just aware of that when choosing my speed rather than ignoring or being in denial of it.
It must be really scary having to share the roads with the rest of us thenBe warned; don't bother trying to argue with him. You won't win. (Well, not in his opinion, anyway)
Phatboy317 said:
It must be really scary having to share the roads with the rest of us then
I suggest that Von might suffer more from dealing with the aftermath of the incidents where he might be sweeping body bits of the roads 'he shares with the rest of us'?Or knocking on doors to give news to parents at late hours about the result of an incident.
No - not scary - but just a wee bit frustrating ?
part of the problem is that cars are just so good nowadays. Brakes, steering and chassis are so much more advanced than they were in the Morris Marina days that people can now be easily distracted and still, for the most part, recover from any short loss of control. i like to think i take driving seriously all the time, but when i'm in my 1974 Beetle with drums all round, i look ahead a little further...
I'd rather scrap a lot of scammeras and have Police issue spot fines for driving without due care (with video backup).
I'd rather scrap a lot of scammeras and have Police issue spot fines for driving without due care (with video backup).
BOF said:
I suggest that Von might suffer more from dealing with the aftermath of the incidents where he might be sweeping body bits of the roads 'he shares with the rest of us'?
Or knocking on doors to give news to parents at late hours about the result of an incident.
No - not scary - but just a wee bit frustrating ?
And I would suggest that those tragedies will continue while those in control imagine that lowering speed limits will stop head-on collisions.Or knocking on doors to give news to parents at late hours about the result of an incident.
No - not scary - but just a wee bit frustrating ?
Breadvan72 said:
It is absurd to say that speeding does not cause accidents. It causes some accidents. It does not cause others. Thus it is equally absurd to say that speeding causes all accidents. This isn't a binary thing.
Driving too fast certainly causes accidents, technical speed limit violation not so much.otolith said:
Breadvan72 said:
It is absurd to say that speeding does not cause accidents. It causes some accidents. It does not cause others. Thus it is equally absurd to say that speeding causes all accidents. This isn't a binary thing.
Driving too fast certainly causes accidents, technical speed limit violation not so much.If the limit on my local road drops from 60 to 50 tonight, will the speed I did today become more dangerous? If the speed limit is 60, is there a step change in risk the instant I exceed it?
It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
Mill Wheel said:
emmaT2014 said:
DocSteve said:
I suppose if every factor remained the same - driving skill level, conditions, vehicle etc etc - then the faster you go the more likely an accident is to occur and the more severe the outcome may be. This is probably pretty much indisputable unless you argue that driving slowly causes some drivers to lose concentration and paradoxically more likely to have an accident.
The trouble is the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
No it isn't.The trouble is the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety rather than all the other factors that are important.
List all UK road safety programs and then analyse the list to see if "the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety" is justifiable. When you do as I suggest you will find it is not.
I'm not listing them for it was not I that made the first idle claim.
otolith said:
If the limit on my local road drops from 60 to 50 tonight, will the speed I did today become more dangerous? If the speed limit is 60, is there a step change in risk the instant I exceed it?
It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
You will have moved position in respect of what it's reasonable for others to expect when they are making judgement calls in relation to your speed, because those parameters have changed.It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
emmaT2014 said:
it isn't and you have no evidence it is nor does DocSteve.
List all UK road safety programs and then analyse the list to see if "the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety" is justifiable. When you do as I suggest you will find it is not.
I'm not listing them for it was not I that made the first idle claim.
It wasn't an idle claim. I said that the focus "seems" to be mainly on speed. There may or may not be plenty of road safety initiatives that are unrelated to motorists adhering to set speed limits. However, the message that is most strongly disseminated to the general public is that speed is the main problem. I doubt you can deny that the majority of people consider safe driving to mean driving within the speed limit rather than seeking to improve their driving standards irrespective of this. List all UK road safety programs and then analyse the list to see if "the focus seems to mainly be on speed with regard to road safety" is justifiable. When you do as I suggest you will find it is not.
I'm not listing them for it was not I that made the first idle claim.
otolith said:
If the limit on my local road drops from 60 to 50 tonight, will the speed I did today become more dangerous? If the speed limit is 60, is there a step change in risk the instant I exceed it?
It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
It has been established that there is a step-change in the average speed of traffic that follows a change in the speed limit. if your speed in the new limit is high with respect to the new limit then it will present a hightened risk of danger than it did in the higher limit.It's safer to crash at 40 than 50 and 50 than 60, what influence does the number on a stick have?
The lower the speed carried into a collision, the lower the potential for damage and injury so yes it is preferable to collide at lower speeds than high speed. Tak a t-bone incident with a motorcycle on car collisio. At 20mph the motorcycle will not intrude so much o the passenger compartment of the car and the rider of the bike and car driver may well both live with serious or slight injury. Now take a 70mph collision; the motorcycle will intrude most of the way through the car, kill the driver, cut the rider in half and send the top part of his body and head a long way down the road. Go figure whether your question was really deserving of an answer or just a
vonhosen said:
You will have moved position in respect of what it's reasonable for others to expect when they are making judgement calls in relation to your speed, because those parameters have changed.
The reasonable expectations of other traffic need to be taken into account - however one should be considering what is an appropriate speed around other road users either way.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff