This page contains an excerpt from GHSA's Policies and Priorities document outlining GHSA's policy on speed, speeding and aggressive driving.
Excerpted from GHSA Policies & Priorities
A significant percentage of all crashes are speeding-related. These crashes are a serious problem and have contributed to the slowdown in the reduction of motor vehicle fatalities. GHSA recommends that NHTSA should maintain speeding-related crashes as a priority and conduct research on effective countermeasures, identify best practices and provide technical assistance to states that wish to address the issue. NHTSA should also examine a number of issues such as: the impact of speed fines and points, the effect of decriminalizing speed violations, the coordination of speed campaigns with those for safety belts and impaired driving, and potential changes to vehicle standards to limit the speed of passenger vehicles. Further, NHTSA should approach speed in an integrated manner by working closely with FHWA on speeding-related engineering issues and with FMCSA on the problem of speeding commercial motor vehicles.
GHSA supports the authorization of a federal incentive grant program to help states combat the problem of speeding. Such a program should encourage state and local speed enforcement initiatives, the use of automated speed enforcement and implementation of local speed education campaigns and speed management workshops.
Speed limits should be part of a comprehensive speed management program including highway engineering, speed enforcement and public education. They should be established based on several factors including, but not limited to: highway design and research, highway operations, highway conditions, differences at state or municipal borders and traffic safety. Decisions regarding speed limits should consider the likely safety consequences (crashes, injuries, deaths and economic costs) of different speed limits. Speed limits should be perceived as reasonable by the public and be well publicized and vigorously enforced.
States should authorize, encourage and provide adequate support to local communities to reduce speed limits to improve safety.
GHSA strongly encourages motor vehicle manufacturers and advertisers to utilize advertising messages to encourage safety instead of speed. GHSA offers to work with other organizations in the transportation and highway safety communities to develop plans and support for responsible corporate advertising.
GHSA supports state and national efforts to prohibit the sale and/or use of speed detection devices (e.g. radar and laser detectors) by the public because such devices undermine law enforcement efforts to control motor vehicle speeds and enhance highway safety.
GHSA recognizes that aggressive drivers who do not follow the rules of the road are a hazard to all motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians on the roadway. GHSA encourages additional research into the issue and the sponsorship of effective countermeasures to detect, apprehend and discourage the aggressive driver.
