Speed Kills

Did you know that human error accounts for 90% of all accidents?

Yes, 90% of accidents are the fault of riders and drivers, which also means that they can be prevented. With that in mind, what are some of the basic reasons and common mistakes that lead to this all too common and ever increasing statistic.

A deadly impact, and certainly fatal for anyone in the back seat.

I recently posted about a bad weekend full of motorcycle accidents. That was followed by another post speculating possible contributing factors of one fatal accident in particular and some defensive driving tips for drivers to help avoid the situation.

One of those posts dealt with how a driver sets up to make a left hand turn, emphasizing the need to keep the wheels of a vehicle pointed straight ahead to avoid being pushed into opposing traffic should the vehicle be rear ended.

However, this post deals with another factor that is typically mentioned when talking about accidents and that involves speed. Everyone has heard the term "Speed Kills' but may not be familiar with the actual science behind why it is so deadly.

Obviously, any large mass hurtling down the highway with only a few inches of rubber contacting the road makes for a deadly weapon should it come into contact with another mass, and increased speed means lessening of vehicle maneuverability and handling ability.

Another factor is the vehicles stopping distance, exponentially compounded for every kmph added.

Let's take an average mid-sized car, with good tires and properly maintained brakes, travelling on a clean, dry paved road at 30 kmph, the speed limit in a playground zone or school zone. 

• average reaction time for a driver just to recognize the need to stop and begin applying the brakes equals 3/4 of a second so at 30 kmph the vehicle will travel 6 metres in that reaction time.


• add another 10 metres to come to a full stop, equalling a total of 16 metres, or 4 full car lengths  (fairly reasonable and certainly the reason the speed limit is 30 kmph in locations where children with unpredictable behaviour may congregate)

Now, let's take that same vehicle and increase the speed just 20 kmph, which is the average urban speed limit of 50 kmph. 

• average reaction time for a driver just to recognize the need to stop and begin applying the brakes equals 3/4 of a second, so at 50 kmph the vehicle will travel 10 metres, or an extra 4 metres than the previous scenario


• actual stopping distance now has increased from 10 metres to 26 metres, for a total stopping distance of 36 metres, or 8 car lengths ( double the stopping distance at 30 kmph)

The last scenario could still be considered tolerable, but think about that compounding speed factor and apply it to a situation where you'e out on the highway with a speed limit of 100 kmph.

Of course, in my experience that usually means everybody is going way faster, but lets say the driver is a rare, speed limit respecting, law abiding citizen who's just cruising along, admiring all the motorcycles going by in the opposite direction.

After the momentary distraction, they return their focus to the road in front of them and suddenly realize there is a vehicle stopped on the road, waiting to make a left hand turn only 80 metres away.

By the time the foot hits the brake pedal, the car has already travelled 20 metres, or half the distance between the vehicles. and, at 100 kmph, the braking distance would require another 101 metres to stop, or 121 metres in total ( the length of a football field) 

Of course, the math means not enough distance to stop and the force of that vehicle, still travelling at approximately 60 kmph, could result in a deadly impact.

As this discussion originally talked about an accident involving a vehicle waiting to turn left on a highway, consider that if the impacted vehicle happens to have his wheels partially turned and gets shoved out into the opposing lane and is hit by the high speed traffic going the other way, or worse yet, the motorcycles who were cruising along in a group, the results are going to be horrendous.

I'm not saying this is what happened in the motorcycle accident that was mentioned before, but certainly you can see how it could have set up in this manner.

The whole point is that drivers need to always vigilant and prepared for arising situations, and increasingly so as the speed of their vehicle increases. Then factor in things like operating a larger vehicle or less than ideal road conditions

And if you do feel the need to be faster than everyone else, at least be a bit reasonable. I travel Highway 2 frequently and the number of vehicles that go roaring past me at 140 kmph or more is unreal. Just imagine the stopping distances at those speeds!

Let's be safe out there and do our part to help keep others safe too.