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The Danger of Speeding

meredith-terpstra
Meredith Terpstra |

The most common traffic law violation is speeding, which outnumbers all other traffic violations combined. In 2023, speeding was responsible for almost 12,000 deaths. That represents just under one-third of all traffic-related deaths. So, how much time do you actually save by speeding—and risking a costly traffic ticket or worse, causing a crash?

Check out the time it takes to make a 30-mile trip at different speeds:

  • 55 mph = 32.7 minutes
  • 65 mph = 27.7 minutes (5 minutes saved)
  • 75 miles per hour = 24 minutes (8.7 minutes saved)

This math assumes you can maintain a constant speed without slowing down for traffic, signals, or curves in the road. In reality, you’d probably save only 4 minutes at best. And keep in mind, most trips are short—the average time saved on a 5-mile trip, driving 65 mph on a 45 mph posted road, is only 1.9 minutes.

Speeding is involved in about 13% of all crashes and 33% of all fatal crashes, and increases the risk of an accident because there is less time and distance available to respond. Our reaction times (about one second for most drivers) don’t speed up just because we are driving faster.

To stop the worst offenders, some states are turning to technology to slow them down. Intelligent speed assistance (ISA) systems are an innovative countermeasure that uses GPS data and digitally mapped speed limit data to allow vehicle-based speed limit sign recognition to inform the vehicle of the speed limit. There are two types of ISA systems:

  1. A passive ISA can provide drivers with information on the speed limit for their current road.
  2. An active ISA can actively limit the vehicle's speed to prevent speeding.

 

Studies have shown that both passive and active ISA systems have decreased the amount of speeding on the road. To learn more about ISA technology and how it works, visit NHTSA.gov.

 

This article was originally published in our print edition of LIVE|PLAY|AAA magazine in 2019 and was recently updated in July 2025 to include new research.

Learn more about the nonprofit AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and its mission to prevent traffic deaths and injuries through impactful research and education. Explore related traffic safety news and press releases by visiting the AAA Newsroom, and discover how the Minneapolis Auto Club Foundation for Safety is working toward a safer future in our communities.