The Need for Speed

THE NEED FOR SPEED! There are many surprising statistics about speeding in America. You probably don't know which car model has the highest rate of ticketing or just how dangerous going over the limit really is. Below is a collection of data to get you up to speed about driving fast. CONGRESS REPEALED THE NATIONAL MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT IN 1995. SPEED LIMIT 65 At the time, the maximum speed limit was in rural areas and in urban areas. As of today, 33 states have raised SPEED LIMIT 55 or higher. speed limits to SPEED LIMIT 70 TEXAS SPEED LIMIT & UTAH are the 80 fastest states in the nation with speed limits of 80 mph on some rural interstates. YOUR SPEEDOMETER READS 3-10% TO0 FAST. Manufacturers do this to reduce insurance liabilities. THE MOST EXPENSIVE TICKET EVER WAS ISSUED HUMMER H2 IN SWITZERLAND FOR: 463% HIGHER $290,000 Switzerland issues fines relative to the offender's wealth, which was estimated at $22 million. -AVERAGE TICKET RATE- LOWEST: Chevrolet Suburban HIGHEST: Hummer H2 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 16% CALIFORNIA drivers LOWER with ONE SPEEDING CITATION in a three- year period had a crash The state with the rate 50% HIGHER, HIGHEST RATE OF on average, than those TICKETING IS WYOMING. with no infractions. According to Condomania's database of 27,000 men, it's also the state with the SMALLEST AVERAGE PENIS SIZE. VIRGINIA is the only SPEED CAMERAS state in the nation that IN ARIZONA were estimated OUTLAWS RADAR to generate $9O MILLION DETECTORS. for the state in 2009 & produce $34 MILLION in profit for the camera companies. Speeders are most often MALES UNDER THE AGE OF 30. Speeding is a factor in nearly ONE-THIRD of all FATAL CRASHES. 24% OF MALE DRIVERS involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash, compared to only 15% OF ALL FEMALE DRIVERS. The economic costs of crashes that involve excessive speed are $40.4 BILLION. THAT'S $1,281 PER SECOND. A BBC investigation into speed camera accuracy showed a STATIONARY WALL being CLOCKED AT 58 MPH. TIPS TO AVOID BEING PULLED OVER: Stay in the middle of the pack. Find a "rabbit" (a decoy car to follow behind). Don't change lanes frequently or drive aggressively. • Avoid the left lane. • Get a radar detector. Design by Jason Powers Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southwest/series7/speed-cameras.shtml - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8446545.stm http://www.ihs.org/research/ganda/speed_limits.htmitcite5 • http://autos.aol.com/article/how-to-avoid-a-speeding-ticket/ http://secure.condomania.com/Rankings/ • http://www.driverside.com/auto-library/top_10_speediest_states-537 http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2005/12/06/161218.html • http://www.ihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-speed.htm http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/data_facts/ http://autos.aol.com/article/speed-camera/- http://autos.aol.com/gallery/vehicle-traffic-ticket/ http://autos.aol.com/gallery/least-ticketed-cars/ • http://www.ihs.org/laws/speedlimits.aspx http://lifehacker.com/208611/how-to-beat-a-speeding-ticket-or-at-least-better-your-chances http://technologyexpert.blogspot.com/2007/11/radar-gun-vs-gps-radar-qun-wins.html Auto Tutor, American Automobile Association of California magazine, Oct. 17, 1997