• Know the Risks
    • Teen Driver Risks
      • Distracted Driving
      • Nighttime and Drowsy Driving
      • Speeding and Street Racing
      • Low Safety Belt Use
      • Impaired Driving
    • Teen Passenger Risks
      • Keep the Driver Distraction Free
      • Help Keep the Driver Alert and Awake at Night
      • Know Why Speeding is Dangerous and Reckless
      • Always Wear a Seat Belt
      • Steer Clear of Impaired Drivers
    • Respect the Rig
      • Order a Respect the Rig Community Toolkit
    • Rail Safety
    • Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety
    • External Links and Resources
  • Be Involved
    • Complete an Event / Activity Form
    • Steps to Start TDS at Your School
    • Sign Up & Order Your Toolkit or Request Virtual Access
    • Order a Respect the Rig Community Toolkit
    • Teen Takeover Social Media
    • Social Media Teen Influencer
    • Become a Teen Advisory Board Member
    • Take the Pledge to Keep Our Drive Alive
    • Find Your Regional Representative
  • Take Action
    • Activity Ideas
    • Downloadable Activity Items, Posters, and More
    • Videos
    • Ride With Me @ Home – Parent Information
    • #BeTheChange with Tyson Dever
    • Speaker and Educator Resources
    • Teens in the Driver Seat in Georgia
      • California & Georgia Pedal Kart, Trike, and Drunk Mat Resources
    • Teens in the Driver Seat in Colorado
  • Events & Contests
    • Events and Activity / Outreach Calendar
    • TDS How-to Videos on Demand
    • All-Star Reward Program
      • TDS All-Star Rules
    • TDS Safe Driving Summit
      • Register for the Summit!
    • Distracted Walkers Observation – Texas Schools
    • Driving the Message Contest
    • Extra Mile! Senior Activity
    • Ride With Me Activity – A teen-to-parent initiative
    • Social Media Teen Influencer
    • SponStar Awards
    • Teen Advisory Board
      • Teen Advisory Board Application
    • Teen of the Month
    • Zero Crazy! Activity
  • You in the Driver Seat App
  • About Us
    • News
    • Contact Us
    • Find Your Regional Representative
    • Partners
    • Private Partnering Opportunities
    • Donate
    • History and Recognition
    • 15 Year Report Card
  • Login

Teens in the Driver Seat

A peer-to-peer safe driving program for your school.

Text iDrive to 1-888-825-1346 for TDS and safety text messages.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Know Why Speeding is Dangerous and Reckless

The problem of speeding:

  • In 2018, about 26 percent of all traffic fatalities involved at least one driver who was speeding.¹.
  • In a high-speed crash, a passenger vehicle cannot handle the force of the crash. As crash speeds get very high, airbags and seat belts do not work as well to keep passengers safe2.
  • Speed influences the risk of crashes and crash injuries in three basic ways2:
    • By the time the driver realizes he/she needs to react, they’ve traveled closer to the danger
    • The driver has to brake harder
    • The crash is harder
  • Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next).
  • If a driver doubles his/her speed – say from 30 mph to 60 mph – the braking distance does not become twice as long. It becomes four times as far. Traveling at 55 mph, it will take about 6 seconds to stop the vehicle. The vehicle will travel approximately 302 feet before coming to a stop. That is longer than the length of a football field3.
  • The total stopping distance of the vehicle depends on four things3:
    • A driver’s perception time
    • A driver’s reaction time
    • A driver’s vehicle reaction time
    • A driver’s vehicle braking capability
  • When a driver is speeding, other drivers have a hard time telling how fast they are going.
  • Speeding to keep up with the flow of traffic is not legal and the driver can still be ticketed.
  • A driver should consider road conditions, weather and road design and slow down when those change.It is easier to lose traction when speeding around a curve and the high center of gravity makes it easier to roll over. A driver should slow down before curves.

Always speak up for your safety

  • The faster the vehicle is going, the harder it is to stop.
  • Remember that speeding can be dangerous and cost money.
  • Watch for speed limit signs and let the driver know when the number changes
  • Help the driver look for dangers in the road.
  • Ask questions about driving and how it’s done. This lets the driver know they are setting the example.
  • Know the law – Reckless driving is against the law, and is defined as driving in a way that shows you really don’t care about the safety of people or property.

 

Sources:

  1. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Traffic Safety Facts: 2018 Data, Retrieved from: https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812932
  2. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
  3. Southern Illinois University

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Read About all Passenger Risks

  • Help Keep the Driver Alert and Awake at Night
  • Know Why Speeding is Dangerous and Reckless
  • Keep the Driver Distraction Free
  • Always Wear a Seat Belt
  • Steer Clear of Impaired Drivers

Be involved - sign up now

  • Save a Life logo
  • USDOT logo
  • GDOT_sponsors_footer
  • GM_sponsors_footer
  • Union Pacific logo
  • State Farm logo
  • Colorado Department of Transportation logo
  • HGAC logo
  • Drive Smart Nebraska logo
  • AAA logo

Copyright © 2021 Texas A&M Transportation Institute

All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.
Comments, suggestions or queries? Contact Us!


Youth Transportation Safety Program
c/o Texas A&M Transportation Institute
1100 NW Loop 410, Ste 605, San Antonio, TX 78213-2255
Ph: (210) 979-9411
Fax: (210) 321-1299

TTI Logo

Texas A&M University System
3135 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-3135
Ph: (979) 845-9008
Fax: (979) 845-9848

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.