Above / Signs around town remind drivers to drive safely every day. Note that this week, Naperville Police are joining forces with agencies statewide for 2018 Illinois Speed Awareness Day on July 25, 2018.
During Illinois Speed Awareness Day on July 25, the Naperville Police Department is taking a proactive approach to promote safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists through both education and enforcement. In Illinois during 2016, speed was the reason for 34.2 percent of all traffic fatalities. That’s 369 deaths for the year, or one life every 23.7 hours. These lives can be easily saved by being aware of our speed and understanding how speeding impacts a crash.
Consequences of speeding can be deadly
- The probability of death, disfigurement or debilitating injury grows with higher speed at impact. Such consequences double for every 10 MPH over 50 MPH.
- When a vehicle crashes it undergoes a rapid change in speed. However, the occupants keep moving at the vehicle’s previous speed until they are stopped, either by hitting an object or by being restrained by a safety belt or airbag.
- The effectiveness of restraint devices like airbags, safety belts, crumple zones and side beams decline as impact speed increases.
- When a pedestrian is hit by a car at 20 MPH, there is a 10 percent likelihood of being killed; at a speed of 30 MPH, the percentage increases to a 50 percent likelihood of being killed.
- 37 percent of the speed-related crashes result in injuries.
- Speeding extends the distance required to stop a vehicle in emergency situations.
- Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to navigate safely around curves or objects in the roadway.
Obey speed limits to reduce injuries & prevent fatalities
Let’s all do our part by taking a proactive approach to prevent fatalities and reduce injuries on the roadways by being aware of our speed and obeying the speed limit signs ALL the time.
For more information about Illinois Speed Awareness Day, visit 20Twww.illinoisspeedawarenessday.org.
