Better Late Than Wrecked

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Let me start by saying that I am, or at least I used to be, a fast driver, but anymore I’m one of the slowest on the roads and I consistently drive 10 MPH over the posted speed limit. 

Has anyone noticed it’s like the wild west out there?  Where in the world are so many people in a hurry to get to that it warrants driving in excess of 75 MPH in a 65 MPH speed zone?  I used to give the few people who drove at this warp-speed the benefit of the doubt.  They must have received word that one of their relatives is about to check-out of this life, one of their kids must have gotten hurt at school, or maybe even their wife is in labor.   That is most certainly not the case. 

I did a little experiment recently as I was driving my son  to school in order to make the ride a little more fun.  Even my 8 year old son has commented on this craziness, “Look how fast that guy is driving daddy.”  We drove a familiar 15 mile route on a local interstate where the posted speed limit is 65 MPH.  I decided that I’d drive 70 MPH, 5 over the legal limit, in the center lane and we’d count how many cars passed us.  Because I was driving so “slow” there were cars and trucks coming up behind me at such a high rate of speed I thought they would run into the back of me.  When they finally got the opportunity to pass they’d give me a look like I was operating a horse drawn carriage.  Fifty (50) vehicles passed me that day.  I can only assume that most of these people were on their way to work.  I’d like to make a suggestion.  “Wake up 10 minutes earlier in order to preserve life out here, you sorry tirds!” 

I’ve wondered if people know the possible consequences of their actions.  Then I came to my senses.  Of course they do, but due to their own pride, self-centeredness, and disrespect for others and authority, they choose to do the wrong thing, break the law and endanger lives.  

I’m going to throw some statistics at you courtesy of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-speed.htm and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/.  On a yearly basis there are approximately 6.2 million speed related traffic accidents with approximately 13,200 of them resulting in a fatality.  In dollars that amounts to approximately $40.4 billion in damages.  Now if that’s not enough to make you slow down, how about this.  If you despise insurance companies like I do, (that’s a separate article) then this will be more than enough incentive to get you to ease off the gas pedal.  If you want to make insurance companies richer, keep the pedal to the metal.  The average insurance rate increase for just one speeding ticket is approximately $900 over three years.    

I’ll close with one more thing I don’t understand.  I know there aren’t nearly enough police out there to catch everyone, that’s why I hope the Speed Photo Radar now being used in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and DC is implemented in more states, but why, when I do see police on the side of the road, do they not give a second look to vehicles that I know are doing 75+ MPH?  How fast is fast enough to get pulled-over? 

Aren’t most, if not all, municipalities crying poor and strapped for cash?  If I may be so bold as to make one last suggestion; how about over-extending your budgets a little further in the short term in order to hire more police.  Then, actually pull-over and ticket people who are breaking the law.  I would venture to say that an officer’s salary could be paid for in a month and the rest is gravy.

Oops, sorry, I forgot, that probably makes too much sense.