An authority from Driving Dynamics says there are three primary the explanation why people speed: It’s a nasty habit they’ve acquired, they’re in a rush, or they’re distracted.
Photo: pexels/Harrison Haines
In 2020 alone, some 11,258 people lost their lives on our nation’s roadways as a result of speeding, in response to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A lot of us have heard this scary statistic before. So why do people proceed to hurry?
There are three primary the explanation why drivers speed: Speeding is a habit; the motive force is rushed; or the motive force is distracted. Irrespective of the rationale, speeding is clearly dangerous and may all the time be avoided.
Consider this: For each 10 mph you travel over 50 mph, your risk of being involved in a fatal collision doubles. And there are some further insights you possibly can share along with your drivers. Allow them to know that in the event that they’re involved in a serious collision at high speed, there isn’t an airbag or belt system that can save their life. That’s a tricky consequence nobody desires to face. Couple this with the incontrovertible fact that if they’re speeding they might not have the ability to react in time to avoid a collision. The faster your driver is traveling, the less time she or he has to react.
Now let’s address the three reasons for speeding.
1. A Bad Habit
For some drivers, speeding could also be a habit; it’s what they’re used to doing. An individual could also be so used to speeding that in the event that they drive the speed limit, to them it looks like they’re going too slow. Here’s what you must reinforce with drivers who’ve this sense: “You’re not traveling too slow; you’re obeying the speed limit.”
If speeding is a habit, the motive force needs to acknowledge it and fix it. It is going to take effort and time to alter, but considering the implications, it is completely well worth the effort.
2. The Rush Job
Do you understand drivers who’re always running late? Should you answered yes, tell those drivers to look within the mirror and consider how they’re scheduling their day.
Attempting to make up time by speeding is a lesson in futility. It doesn’t work. Any minutes a driver makes up might be taken away at the following red light or traffic jam. Also, as anyone who’s ever run late knows, with every red light and traffic jam one’s frustration level builds, which causes distraction. Quite a few studies have shown that speeding won’t enable you to arrive on time. The truth is, should you get stopped for speeding, otherwise you crash, your arrival time could also be delayed, or it’s possible you’ll not make it in any respect.
If a driver is running late for an appointment, she or he should discover a secure place to park and call ahead. Within the worst-case scenario, they might be told to reschedule. In the very best case and more likely scenario, the person on the opposite end will thank the motive force for calling and reassure them that they might be there when the motive force arrives. Now the pressure is off.
The underside line is that fleet operators must encourage drivers to construct enough time into their schedules in order that they don’t get tempted to hurry. Remind your drivers to stop rushing and make safety a top priority.
3. Unwitting Distraction
Put yourself behind the wheel for a moment. Have you ever ever looked down on the speedometer and realized that you just were traveling well over the speed limit? That’s a sign that you just were distracted and didn’t even know it.
It’s something that happens to fleet drivers sometimes. Perhaps they were using their phone or possibly they were daydreaming. Irrespective of the cause, the result’s speeding. And what’s even worse, they were speeding at a time after they were distracted. This can be a highly dangerous and unacceptable combination.
Fleet operators need to obviously communicate with drivers about eliminating distractions. Remind them to stow away items that invite distraction. Make sure that you tell them to avoid cellular phone use, texting, or eating while driving.
And here’s a trick to show your drivers. Tell them that in the event that they find their mind wandering, they need to start verbalizing their driving environment. For instance, each time they see a speed limit sign, they need to say it out loud. The concept is that if a driver speaks what she or he sees, it’s going to force them to listen to their driving. Verbalizing speed limit signs will make them aware of the speed limit and the speed they’re traveling.
Being attentive and avoiding speeding have to be top priorities.
A Word about Speed Limits
Speed limits are established with one thing in mind: safety. Are you able to imagine how unsafe it might be if our roadways had no speed limits? Fleet managers must impress upon drivers the importance of obeying the speed limits — for their very own safety and the security of all road users.
Concerning the Creator: Phil Moser is director of customer development at Driving Dynamics, a provider of driver safety training, coaching, and fleet risk management services throughout North America.
This Article First Appeared At www.automotive-fleet.com
