The faster you are going the more likely you are to be involved in a crash. Don't speed.

Crashes at higher speeds cause more severe injuries than those at lower speeds. When motorized traffic mixes with pedestrians and cyclists, the speed limit should be under 30km/h.

 

 

The chances of avoiding a collision become smaller as your speed increases.

The greater your speed, the more distance is covered while you make decisions and take action to avoid a collision.Also, the faster you are going, the longer it takes for the vehicle to stop when you do brake. 

 

Crashes at higher speeds cause more severe injuries than those at lower speeds. Why?

The higher the speed, the more kinetic or movement energy the vehicle and you (the driver or passengers) are carrying. Therefore more energy is released when colliding into another vehicle or stationary object, such as a tree or wall. Part of the energy released will be absorbed by the objects involved in the crash and part will be absorbed by the human body, causing injuries. Our human body is vulnerable and there is only so much energy it can handle without being seriously damaged. The more energy, the greater the damage. 

 

 

When motorized traffic mixes with pedestrians and cyclists, the speed limit should be under 30km/h.

Pedestrians, cyclists, and persons in lighter vehicles will have more severe injuries if hit by a speeding vehicle. An adult pedestrian has less than a 20% chance of dying if struck by a car at less than 50 km/h but almost a 60% risk of dying if hit at 80 km/h.

Male and young drivers are more likely to speed.

While other factors likely to influence speed include alcohol, road layout, traffic density and weather conditions. A 5% cut in average speed can result in 30% reduction in the number of fatal crashes.

Setting and enforcing national speed limits is an important step in reducing speed. 

According to WHO, only 47 countries, representing approximately 950 million people, have urban speed laws that meet best practice. Check the speed limit laws in your country below.

 

Download the WHO Facts

Speed limit laws 

 

Learn about the other key risk factors

Helmets Drink-driving Seatbelts Distracted-driving