Speeding
It’s a fact. Speeding is still one of the main reasons people die or get seriously injured on WA roads.
Speeding can cost your life
You might be running late, feeling stressed or your passengers might be telling you to drive faster, but speeding is never worth it. According to the Road Safety Commission:
- Excessive speed was a factor in one third (32%) of WA road fatalities in 2018.
- In the Perth Metro area, 23.1% of people killed or seriously injured happened roads with 60 km/h speed zones. 20.9% occurred in speed zones of 50 km/h.
- On a 10 km journey in a 60 km/h zone, you save just 46 seconds by increasing your speed to 65 km/h. But you double your chance of being killed or seriously injured in a crash.
Find out more about the devastating impact of speeding in WA on the Road Safety Commission website.
There’s no such thing as “safe” speeding
The faster you drive, the longer it takes to stop.
If you drive even a few kilometres over the speed limit you increase braking distance and have less time to react to hazards. This means you significantly increase your chances of crashing and causing serious injury or death to yourself and those around you.
Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle riders have little protection, so the chances of survival rapidly decrease at speeds greater than 30 km/h. In fact, a pedestrian is twice as likely to be killed by a car travelling at 50 km/h than one travelling at 40 km/h.
Slowing down is the best thing you can do to keep yourself and others safe.
Speeding can cost you money
Driving over the speed limit is illegal. If you drive too fast and get caught by police or a speed camera, you’ll face a fine and possible demerit points. The size of the penalty depends on your speed, but fines start from $100. You could do a lot more with that money, right?
Slow down and get there safely
Being a good driver means you:
- Look after yourself, your passengers and other road users.
- Follow traffic laws and respect other road users.
- Change your driving to suit the road conditions.
As a good driver, you stick to the speed limit and slow down when you need to in certain traffic or weather conditions.
Find out more
To find fact sheets, tips and more information about the devastating impact of speeding in WA, visit the Road Safety Commission website.
