The No.1 factor in both causing a road traffic crash and in determining its severity.
Maintaining a low speed helps a driver remain in full control. It enables them to:
- remain fully aware of their surroundings
- identify potential hazards in time and avoid them
- have more time to make appropriate decisions
- perform avoidance maneuvers more precisely, safely, and effectively
- stop the vehicle sooner by reducing both reaction distance and breaking distance
According to the World Health Organization, a 1% increase in average speed increases the risk of a serious road traffic crash by 3% and the likelihood of a fatal road traffic crash by 4%.
The European Transport Safety Council estimates that reducing average speed by just 1 km/h on European roads could save more than 2,000 lives every year in Europe.
