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- NSC.org
- NSC Shop
- Injury Facts
- Safety+Health Magazine
No conversation about saving lives on our roadways can omit speed management. The Safe System Approach includes Safer Speeds as one of its key areas of focus because it is central to the problem of serious injuries and deaths. Speed increases both the likelihood that a crash will happen and the severity of injuries in crashes that occur. Speeding was a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2023, killing 11,775 people, or an average of over 32 people a day.
A small difference in speed can make a major difference in the likelihood that a pedestrian struck by a vehicle will survive, which is why NSC supports promoting safer speeds through a variety of initiatives, including thoughtful and context-appropriate roadway design, targeted education and outreach campaigns, and enforcement.
● Learn more about the National Safety Council’s position on speed
● Explore the Road to Zero Doubling Down on What Works Clearinghouse, where you can find a listing of resources focused on speed management
● Find the latest statistics on speeding-related crashes in NSC Injury Facts
Read more about the Safe System approach.
Setting lower speed limits is crucial for road safety, but in order to really change driver behavior, those limits need to be enforced. A sanction works best when it is consistent so a driver knows if they violate the speed limit they will definitely face a penalty. Cameras have the power to detect every incident of speeding, every time, and they can do it fairly; cameras capture the image of the vehicle, not who is driving it.
Automated enforcement isn’t just for speed. Many communities have longstanding and effective red light camera programs, and technology is developing to enforce other laws like those related to cell phone usage. NSC supports the development of technologies such as these and works towards promoting best practices for automated enforcement program design and management to effectively and fairly change behavior and reduce preventable roadway deaths.
● Read the NSC position statement in support of automated enforcement and Road to Zero’s safety priority statement.
● Read the Automated Enforcement Program Checklist created by NSC in conjunction with partners at AAA, Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety, Governors Highway Safety Association, and IIHS-HLDI.
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