Speed

Information related to vehicle speed and speeding.

Speeding

SpeedingI had an interesting conversation with a driver at the roadside one morning. I had stopped him for driving at 107 km/h in the posted 80 km/h zone entering a high collision area on Highway 4 east of Port Alberni. Speed is a particular problem as a primary contributor to collisions there.

"Why are you writing me a ticket for this? I wasn't driving dangerously." was his response to my request for his documents.

RESEARCH - Adaptive Cruise Control Encourages Speeding

IIHS LogoAccording to a study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers are substantially more likely to speed when using Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) or automations that combine ACC with lane centering than when not using either technology. The concern here is that abuse of the system will cancel out the safety benefit of having it.

VIDEO - Living Radars

VideoThis is a video from SAAQ in Quebec produced for a speed and distracted driving awareness campaign in 2020. The speed display in the video is showing real time traffic speeds from a pole mounted radar unit at the filming location. It's a striking visual reminder of how fast we often drive through a school zone.

VIDEO- How to Stop Speeding in Your Neighbourhood

VideoThere's a little known secret that can be used to stop speeding in your neighbourhood. Make the roads more narrow! A wide, empty street just entices drivers to increase their speed. They will unconsciously readjust their perceived risk and drive at a speed based on how comfortable they feel driving on your street.

REVIEW - The 85th Percentile Speed Limit

Speed DemonI found this observation on the Grist web site: "Speed limits are set by drivers voting with their feet. That’s a problem for everyone else on the street." It was accompanied by the following video explanation of the 85th percentile speed limit setting method. Fine if you are a driver, but what if you are some other form of road user such as a pedestrian or cyclist?

Slow Driving

Question: Slow DriverHave you ever touched on the subject of drivers doing 5 to 15 km/h below the posted speed limit? Slow driving is extremely annoying. The passing lanes are usually not available due to Murphy's Law, and the 4 lane stretches are great when you find one, but never when you need them!