Canadian drivers may all define “speeding” differently, but any speed over the posted limit can be fatal. Each year, approximately 3000 Canadians are injured and another 800 are killed in collisions caused by excessive speed.
Speeding is one of the most common causes of crashes in Canada. It not only increases the risk of collision, but also the severity of the accident. For every 1% faster you drive you are 4% more likely to crash, and the faster you go the worse the injuries. If you are caught speeding, even without causing a collision, you can be fined from $40 to $400, lose up to 6 demerits, get a licence suspension, have a note added to your driving record, and could be asked to attend a court date. Not to mention you will quite likely see an increase of insurance fees.
In 2020, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police stated 40% of drivers caught speeding were between the ages of 16–24 and 80% of similarly aged passengers were killed in car crashes caused by these young drivers. Habitual speeders tend to be males under the age of 25 and are also more likely to drive without a seatbelt or driving impaired by alcohol and drugs. However, people of every age and gender have been known to speed.
Speeding itself is not the only issue, but other symptoms caused by speeding can also cause crashes. Going too fast means shorter following distances, and if the vehicle in front of you does something unexpected there is less reaction time both for yourself and your car’s safety features. Please note the posted limit is for ideal weather conditions and could still be too fast for inclement situations such as rain and snow. Slowing down provides better control over your car in both scenarios.
Being late is better than being killed or having to live with the knowledge you took another person’s life. Do not be one of the 27% of Canada’s fatalities from speeding.