Community Perceptions and Beliefs Regarding Low Level Speeding and Suggested Solutions

Speeding is the single largest behavioral contributor to road traffic deaths and injuries in Australia and the developed world, and the management of speed is critical to the success of the safe systems approach. Analyses of the contribution of various levels of speeding to the road toll are reviewed, demonstrating that low level speeding (within 10km/h of the speed limit) is a major contributor to death and injury. However, speeding, especially low level speeding, remains socially acceptable and commonly practiced by most Australians and is broadly accepted and practiced by drivers throughout the world. This paper reviews evidence of attitudes and beliefs which engender low level speeding from surveys and social media, to suggest policy revisions which may help address this behavior and its social acceptability, including low tolerances on speed enforcement, escalating penalties for repeat offending as occurs with drink-driving, and penalties more aligned with real risks compared with other risky behaviors. These policies not only directly address low level speeding through deterrence, but also send messages which counter currently held unhelpful beliefs. Additional messages on the accuracy of speedometers and speed detection devices, and the costs of low level speeding to the community, may also be helpful.