Speeding is the poster child of road safety. Looks good, easy to enforce, but ultimately misses the point. Ultimately if I'm crossing the street and I'm hit at 20 or 40 the end result is the same. Yes I know 1/2 m v² but it really doesn't take that many joules to kill a pedestrian. What's needed and more challenging ultimately is teaching people to put their fucking phones down, and right of way also applies to others.
this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023
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Evenif you drive the speed limit, don't touch your phone, and all those other things :humans just don't have the right type of brain for driving. You can still day dream for example.
Worth noting that there is a huge difference between being hit at 20 or 40 mph. This study showed risk of severe injury of 25% at 23mph vs 75% at 39mph and risk of death of 10% at 23mph and 50% at 42mph. There is also the impact zone/characteristics, F150 with the tall & flat front will be much more dangerous in an impact than if it had a shorter height and was sloped which could roll someone over the hood. And other considerations like trucks are heavier and have worse visibility. But I agree stopping speed isn't the end all be all for road safety, but one factor of many that need to be taken into account.