A major factor in traffic deaths and injuries is speeding in North Carolina. The speed of an accident affects the vehicle, the driver and the road. Higher vehicle speeds give drivers less time to react. The driver’s creation time allows them to avoid a crash at a safe driving distance.
Speeding factor in traffic fatalities
In 2020, speeding accounted for 29% of all traffic fatalities, which was 11,258 deaths. The total number of fatal motor vehicle accidents attributable to speeding was 10,136. Speeding-related offenses after the accident include driving faster than the speed limit, driving too fast for conditions or racing. Speed-related deaths decreased until 2019, which saw a 17% increase in 2020. 2020 had the most speeding deaths since 2008.
Speeding accidents by age and sex
Speeding-related motor vehicle accidents decreased as the age of the driver increased. The amount of speeding female drivers was lower than male drivers in all age groups. It was more common for male drivers between 15 and 24 to be in fatal speeding-related accidents. At least 32% of the fatal crashes were males in that age group in 2020. Female drivers between 15 and 24 were 18% of the fatal crashes in 2020.
Speeding accidents by roadway surface
The road surface is a factor in any vehicle accident, even without speeding. Dry roads were 19% of speeding-related fatal crash sites, and wet roads were 21%. In 2020, 33% of fatal speeding-related accidents were on snowy or slushy roads. Roads with mud, dirt, gravel, ice or frost were causes of 42% of fatal speeding-related accidents. Roads with standing or moving water were causes of 45% of fatal speeding-related accidents. Certain road conditions have a maximum of 60 mph, even if the speed limit is 70 mph.
Alcohol impairment often goes with speeding but varies with the driver’s age. Drivers under 21 are 25% of the speeding-related fatalities involving alcohol. Alcohol impairment for drivers between 21 and 54 is 40% of fatal speeding-impairment accidents. Alcohol-impaired drivers’ speeding sharply falls for people 55 and over.