By speed limits (Figure 5):
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In 1987, Congress allowed 65 mph speed limits on rural interstates. Since that time, the number of speeding-related fatalities was relatively constant on roads with 65 mph speed limits while there was a downward trend on roads with speed limits of 55 mph and under.
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In 1995, Congress abolished the NMSL. Since that time, speeding-related fatalities have been gradually increasing on roads with speed limits of 65 mph and above while the fatalities on the road with speed limits under 50 mph have been relatively stable. The large decrease on roads with a speed limit of 55 mph is partially due to a decrease in the miles of roads posted at 55 mph because of the change to the higher speed limits after eliminating the NMSL.
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Figure 5: Speeding-Related Fatalities by Speed Limit, 1983-2003. Note that the Congress Allowed States to Raise Speed Limits on Rural Interstates to 65 mph in 1987 and Abolished the NMSL in December 1995.
(Source: FARS 1983-2003) |
By vehicle Type (Figures 6):
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The percentage of fatal crashes that were speeding-related is highest among motorcycle operators at 36 percent in 2003. This represents a decrease from the 1987 level high of 47 percent.
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The percentage of speeding involvement in fatal crashes is similar for passenger cars and light trucks. While the percentage for passenger cars is relatively constant between 1992 and 2001, the percentage for light trucks has been decreasing gradually. In 2002, all passenger vehicle types experienced an increase in the percentage of speeding involvement in fatal crashes.
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There was a steady decrease of the percentage of speeding involvement among SUVs involved in fatal crashes, from a high of 30 percent in 1983 to 19 percent in 2001.
- Drivers of large trucks involved in fatal crashes are least likely to be speeding.
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Figure 6: The Relative Proportion of Speeding Drivers in Fatal Crashes by Vehicle Type, 1983-2003 |
By driver characteristics:
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Male drivers are more likely to be involved in speeding-related crashes than females.
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The proportion of fatal crashes involving speeding decreases with driver age.
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Young males less than 25 years of age are overrepresented in speeding-related fatal crashes; however the proportion involving speeding was trending downward until 2001 when it increased
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On an average, about 41 percent of intoxicated drivers (blood alcohol concentration = 0.08+) involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to only about 14 percent of sober drivers.
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While the percentage of speeding drivers has decreased slightly for intoxicated drivers, the percentage has been relatively constant for sober drivers.