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Faster Is Not Safer, Claims AAA Michigan

4 January 2000

AAA Report Tells One Side of A Controversal Issue

    DEARBORN, Mich. -- Contrary to recently published news reports, higher speed 
limits continue to pose a threat to road safety, AAA Michigan said today.

    According to a 1998 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), actual road deaths in 32 states with higher speed
limits were up 10.4 percent from 1995-1996, and interstate deaths were up 8.2
percent.

    Better roads and safer cars may reduce fatality rates in some states, but
they should not be a license to drive fast.

    "To leave the driving public with the impression that speed is not a major
contributing factor in the number of fatalities on our roads is inaccurate and
irresponsible," said Larry Givens, vice president of Corporate Relations for
AAA Michigan.  "As a matter of fact, nearly a third of all crashes nationwide
are speed-related, second only to alcohol."

    According to Givens, high-speed driving increases the likelihood of motor
vehicle crashes because increased speed leaves the driver less time to react
to changing road and traffic conditions.  At higher speeds, the impact of
collisions is more severe.  In fact, the chances of death or serious injury
double for every 10 mph over 50 a vehicle travels.

    States that were quick to remove speed restrictions are now re-imposing
them.  In Montana, for example, speed limits were eliminated, but re-imposed
after fatalities increased 33 percent.  On May 28, 1999, in an open letter to
state residents and visitors, Montana Gov. Marc Racicot said: "... while the
number of highway fatalities in our state fluctuates year to year, the number
of fatal accidents with speed as a factor was increasing.  This is a warning
sign we could not ignore."

    FAST FACTS

    *  Based on national data, an estimated 400 Michigan motorists die each
year as the result of a speed-related crash.
    *  Ninety percent of fatalities in speed-related crashes occurred on non-
Interstate highways.
    *  A driver's risk of a crash increases in direct proportion to the number
of times the driver has been cited for speed violations.
    *  Only 19 percent of drivers involved in speed-related fatal crashes were
using safety belts.
    *  The economic cost of speed-related crashes nationwide has been
estimated at $24 billion each year.