Safety Resources

Speed a Little. Lose a Lot.

Studies continue to show that speed is a major cause of injury and fatality on North Carolina roadways. In 2021 alone, there were 424 speed-related fatalities. Speeding was a contributing factor in 25 percent of all fatal crashes in North Carolina. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers a crash to be related to speeding if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense, or if the responding officer indicates the driver was either driving too fast for the road conditions at the time or was exceeding the posted speed limit. A crash on a road with a speed limit of 65 mph or greater is more than twice as likely to result in a fatality than a crash on a road with a speed limit of 45 or 50 mph and nearly five times as likely as a crash on a road with a speed limit below 40 mph. Speeding can have dangerous consequences, including:
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​◾Reducing a driver's ability to negotiate curves or maneuver around obstacles in the roadway
​◾Extending the distance traveled before a vehicle can stop
​◾Increasing the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a hazard
​◾Increasing the risk of crashes and injuries because other vehicles and pedestrians might not be able to judge distance correctly

​​ The "Speed a Little. Lose a Lot." annual campaign reminds drivers that there is no reason to speed because the consequences could be more than just getting a ticket – your life or someone else's.