By Nene Clayton
The winter break is always relaxing, it’s full of quality time with our family and reuniting with old friends. As the break comes to an end and you start packing your car to get back to campus, we at U in the Driver Seat want to advise you about the dangers and consequences of speeding.
- Going over the speed limit even by 5 or 10 miles is still considered speeding and can put you at risk for getting a speeding ticket. And in the wise words of Sweet Brown “ain’t nobody got time for that” … or the money for that matter.
- As drivers, we are held responsible for not only our safety, our passengers, other drivers and pedestrians. In 2015, Texas was ranked as the state with the most speeding related traffic fatalities with 1,105 fatalities (NHTSA, 2015).
- For many college students buying textbooks and gas are the bane of our existence. Did you know that speeding can decrease your cars fuel efficiency by 15 to 30% (NHTSA, 2015). Simply put. The faster you drive the more gas you use.
It’s easier said than done, but here are a few tips to avoid speeding:
TIP 1
Leave a few minutes earlier to avoid the uncertainties of traffic. You can even download navigation apps so you can see the traffic ahead of time or if you need to take an alternate route.
TIP 2
Pay attention to the speed limit. They often change depending on the environment and time of the day (school zones).
TIP 3
Think about the ticket! Cops and patrol cars aren’t always easy to spot. It’s beneficial for you, your bank account and other drivers to not speed!!
TIP 4
Most people end up speeding because they are running late for something. Therefore, if you leave early and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, you’ll be less likely to drive over the speed limit.
Ms. Clayton is a senior at Texas State University working towards getting her Bachelors of Health and Wellness Promotion. The Youth Transportation Safety Program is proud to have Nene on our team as a student worker.
Resources:
Department of Transportation (US), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Traffic Safety Facts 2015 data: speeding. Washington, DC: NHTSA; 2015
U in the Driver Seat. “Speeding & Aggression.” U in the Driver Seat, 18 Aug. 2017, www.u-driver.com/driver-risks/speeding-aggression/.
It’s interesting to learn that you can still get a speeding ticket if you go 5 mph over the speed limit. My wife and I are preparing our son to learn how to drive. I’ll be sure to let him know that he should stay under the speed limit when driving.