Overspeeding is driving very fast beyond safe limits.
There is a popular saying that speed kills.
Aside the dangers that overspeeding pose to life, it has other negative impact on the health of the vehicle, health of people and economy of the vehicle owner and the society.
Reasons why people overspeed
1. They want to arrive early.
2. They are racing with other drivers.
3. They derive pleasure in high-speed driving.
4. They are ignorant of the risks that comes with overspeeding.
5. Some people are more comfortable with high speed driving.
6. Lack of speed limit laws and enforcement.
7. Some people pride themselves in high speed driving in order to impress others.
8. Some people speed excessively to feel the power of their vehicles.
9. Disregard for the law.
Disadvantages and dangers of excessive speeding
1. It increases wear and tear on the engine and its components.
At high speeds, the stress on the engine and parts increases because there is more shear, more temperature and more load.
2. Fluids degrade faster
At high speeds, fluids like engine and transmission oils are under high temperature and shear stresses which makes them to degrade faster. They thin out more under these harsh conditions.
3. Suspension and brake components wear faster
At high speeds, a vehicle hits bumps and potholes harder and they also corner harder affecting the lifespan of suspension parts negatively. Brake pads and discs also wear faster due to more brake force that is needed.
4. Time needed to avoid a crash is reduced
In the event of a need to avoid crash, fast driving reduces the time needed to react correctly to avoid an accident.
5. Other road users are put at risk
The faster you drive, the more other road users are endangered. Pedestrians are at a very high risk as a result of overspeeding vehicles.
6. Increased fuel consumption
Fast driving increases fuel consumption. Beyond a certain speed, fuel consumption increased astronomically.
7. You may spend more time on the journey
Imagine a distance which a full tank should be used. Excessive speeding might make it necessary to buy fuel along the way. If for instance, there are delays maybe due to queue, someone who is traveling at normal speeds and does not need to refuel might arrive earlier.
8. Increased tire wear
High speed driving involves quick acceleration and sudden braking. This make tires to wear out faster.
9. Reduced control It is easier to control a vehicle that is driven at slow or moderate speeds than the one driven at high speeds. Even in emergencies such as tire burst, it is easier to control and bring the vehicle to a safe stop if it is not driven at excessive speeds. 10. Braking distance is increased The vehicle's braking distance increases in the sense that it won't be able to come to an immediate stop. 11. Increased emissions The more the speed, the more fuel that will be burnt. This increases CO, NOX and other emissions from a vehicle. 12. Negative impact on economy The extra fuel burnt and money spent to fix and replace parts and fluids affects the economy of both vehicle owner and the society. This is the reason why governments who enforce speed limits indirectly improve the economy. Even expenditure on health is indirectly affected. 13. You can become victim of wrong judgement If an accident occurs, people easily judge that the person who is on high speed is the cause of the accident even if it is not true. 14. Speed kills The phrase "speed kills" is what virtually everyone has heard. It is better to arrive late than be late. 15. High severity of accident There is a high correlation between high speed and severity of accident. The higher the speed, the more severe the accident is.
