Advocacy & Safety - US Drivers: No Respect for Speed Limits or Safety

No Respect for Speed Limits
By Tara Parker-Pope
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/no-respect-for-speed-limits/?hp


When it comes to speeding, many American motorists don’t worry about safety. They just worry about getting caught.

Those are the findings by researchers from Purdue University who surveyed nearly 1,000 motorists about speed limits and driving habits. They found that many drivers are cynical about the safety benefits of driving within speed limits, and many think they can drive safely while speeding as long as they won’t get caught, according to the report in Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VN8-4TMHKYT-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F08%2F2008&_alid=821807575&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_cdi=6172&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=1&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=8f69cf94cd4351858f9396e739c37639).

“So the faster you think you can go before getting a ticket, the more likely you are to think safety’s not compromised at higher speeds,” said Fred Mannering, a professor of civil engineering at Purdue, in a press release. “For whatever reason, respect for speed limits seems to have deteriorated.”

Dr. Mannering used a series of mathematical equations to calculate the probability of speeding, based on data from a survey of 988 motorists in Tippecanoe County, Ind. The survey findings were consistent with other research that has shown two-thirds of all drivers regularly exceed posted speed limits, and roughly one-third report driving at least 10 m.p.h. faster than most other vehicles.

The latest research asked participants: “At what point do you feel speeding becomes a threat to the personal safety of you and your family?” The motorists were given three choices: 5 m.p.h., 10 m.p.h. or 20 m.p.h. over the speed limit.

The survey was taken before and after a 2004 media campaign launched in the county stressing the dangers of speeding that included radio and newspaper messages.

More than a third of the drivers in the survey thought it was safe to drive 20 m.p.h. over the speed limit. Overall, the vast majority of respondents said they thought it was safe to speed, with 79 percent saying it was safe to exceed the limit by 10 m.p.h. or more.

The research showed the media campaign relating to the dangers of speeding had no statistically significant impact on drivers’ views on speeding and safety. For most drivers, a “safe” speed is typically just beyond the point where they believe they are at risk for getting a ticket. That means that motorists who believe they won’t get a ticket until they go 10 m.p.h. above the speed limit are 27 percent more likely to drive up to 20 m.p.h. above the speed limit.

Notably, getting stopped for speeding didn’t seem to have an effect on whether or not a person speeds again. Both men and women drivers who had been stopped for speeding in the last year were 25 percent more likely to believe that it is safe to drive up to 20 m.p.h. faster than the speed limit, compared to those who hadn’t been ticketed.

“This is probably because people who habitually speed are not significantly deterred by being stopped for speeding,” Dr. Mannering said. “They might become slightly more conservative, but it doesn’t slow them down to the level of people who are inherently more conservative.”

To learn more about Dr. Manning’s research, read “Yes, Accidents Happen. But Why?,” (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/24/automobiles/autospecial/24accident.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) published in The Times last year.

these are the distracted drivers?

Who knew US drivers don't understand basic physics?

Oh yeah...

Who knew US drivers don't understand basic physics?

Oh yeah...

I think they understand the whole thing is a lie and that the speeding tickets are no more than collection by cities and police departments. Well, they also know the lawyers get a cut on it, which is why you can go to a lawyer to keep your record clean. Back to racing again. :rolleyes:

People are so stupid.

People are so stupid.

People in Australia got everything upside down. ;)

the sad thing is that according to the 85% rule, those folks also set the speed limits... DOH!

The first sentence supports the way I've responded when others state that the person that hit and injured or killed someone has to live with the guilt. Most have no guilt beyond getting in trouble.

I keep with flow of traffic, which means I speed all the time. I stay alert though. I have no illusions that any speed not ticket worthy is still safe. Inattentiveness can kill you even at the speed limit.

The first sentence supports the way I've responded when others state that the person that hit and injured or killed someone has to live with the guilt. Most have no guilt beyond getting in trouble.

+1. Besides that, "living with the guilt" only underscores the fact that the person gets to live--something forever denied the person run down by their carelessness.

The fact that most people speed is a clear indication that they do not find the legal limit to be reasonable. By the principals of our democracy, the law should be changed. After all, democracy gives us the right to make stupid decisions. I'm surprised no one has put through a ballot initiative to raise the speed limits on state highways. (Unfortunately I think federal funding is somehow tied to obeying federal speed limits).

In towns, where there are pedestrians, and yes, cyclists, I'm all for slow moving traffic. Of course. But on the highway, I just turn on the Valentine 1 and let her rip. Of course I'm driving a 40 year old Italian car so we're not talking blazing speeds here, but let's just say you'll find me in the "fast" lane.

I keep with flow of traffic, which means I speed all the time. I stay alert though. I have no illusions that any speed not ticket worthy is still safe. Inattentiveness can kill you even at the speed limit.

Chatting on the phone is more dangerous at ANY speed. Particularly when you drive an SUV. :rolleyes:

But that's not illegal... Probably the same lawyers who defend you from a speeding tickets are on the phone. :notamused:

People in Australia got everything upside down. ;)

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/thatidea.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x248/cyclaholic_album/thatidea.jpg

This guy from DownUnder never figures out right from wrong.

Either he's a Republican or he's from Australia. :rolleyes:

This guy from DownUnder never figures out right from wrong.

Either he's a Republican or he's from Australia. :rolleyes:

WTF is a republican? or more to the point, why should I care?.... one of our past prime ministers referred to Australia as a 'banana republic' once, and I do like bananas. Does that make me a banana republican?:roflmao2:

By the principals of our democracy, the law should be changed. After all, democracy gives us the right to make stupid decisions.

Do you ever consider the rights of other people not to be hit by chuckleheaded drivers?

Just Curious...

By the principals of our democracy, the law should be changed. After all, democracy gives us the right to make stupid decisions.

Do you ever consider the rights of other people not to be hit by chuckleheaded drivers?

Just Curious...not sure what that has to do with increasing the speed limit. I go 20 over all the time, and I've never hit anyone. Then again, I slow down when the situation warrants. The speed limit should go up in a lot of places.

Our town decreased the speed limit on one of the main feeder roads to 25 because people were going 50 when the speed limit was 35. Pennsylvania has a couple of interstates where the speed limit is 55, seemingly for the same reason. It doesn't keep people from going 80, but it does increase the variability in speeds, which makes things more dangerous. Pennsylvania puts orange diamonds on interstate speed limit signs where they know the limit is too low and is not commonly observed. I have no idea why they don't just increase the limit instead.

By the principals of our democracy, the law should be changed. After all, democracy gives us the right to make stupid decisions.

Do you ever consider the rights of other people not to be hit by chuckleheaded drivers?

Just Curious...

"Other people" can either stay off the highway and stick to other roads that are more their speed, or take a bus/plane/whatever. The whole purpose of highways (now that we don't need them for moving military equipment when the russians invade) is to get from A to B in the fastest possible manner. Not the safest possible manner. Highways are for those of us chuckleheads comfortable with risking our lives.

Ok, I'm joking. At least a little.

speed isn't as dangerous as poor driving habits are. The autobahn functions quite well because of a hyper organized and obedient system of right lane slow left lane fast.

people here have no idea what that means. We are a nation of left lane campers.

sometimes people may be in a rush/emergency. EVERYONE should be able to move over for an emergency vehicle...however this never happens since people just sit and hang out in the left lane right lane...wherever they please.

Part of the problem is that our roads are overengineered for "safety," making it too easy to go too fast.

Higher speeds work well in Europe generally because drivers are far better trained and there are real consequences to negligent moto vehicle operation - unlike th wink, nod, and wrist slap that negligent American drivers receive.

With respect to speeding and safety in the US, pretty much every major study that I've ever seen indicates that speeding plays a critical role in a huge percentage of fatal collisions.

Personally, I don't really care if one wishes to roll the dice with Darwin for him/herself. I do care when the person rolling the dice endangers others - including myself, my family, and those I cae about.

Want to drive like Andretti? Great - do it on the track.

Other people" can either stay off the highway and stick to other roads that are more their speed, or take a bus/plane/whatever.

Or, you could follow the law....

Personally, I'm looking forward to Euro-style speeding cameras.

Personally, I don't really care if one wishes to roll the dice with Darwin for him/herself. I do care when the person rolling the dice endangers others - including myself, my family, and those I cae about.

Well, if you don't feel it's a safe place to be, then take the initiative and stay off the road. That will work out a lot better for you than attempting to get everyone else to slow down to a speed you find comfortable.

There are a few things we can do to make things safer on the roadway. One is to always stay to the right unless passing. And then when we do pull into the next lane to the left to pass, we make sure the speed we are travelling is at least as fast as the car coming up behind us in that lane. No, it is not enough that we are going faster than the car we are passing: we must go faster than the cars in the lane we wish to enter, or we have no business entering it.

Same technique should be practiced when entering the freeway. We should never rely on any other driver having to slow down to avoid hitting us. We must match or exceed their speed if we want to be in front of them.

Another one is to treat lane changes as forward movements, not sideways or backwards movements. If we want to get over a lane or two to the right to exit the freeway for example, we should do so by travelling faster than the cars to our right, and then merging in in front of them. Never take our foot off the gas and slow down and try to merge in behind the cars to our right. Because that will require the people behind us in our lane to hit their brakes to avoid hitting us. Not only is this precisely what causes ripples that lead to traffic jams, it is terribly dangerous.



Or, you could follow the law....

Not likely. Sorry. But if you follow the tips above, we will never come into contact with each other.

Well, if you don't feel it's a safe place to be, then take the initiative and stay off the road. That will work out a lot better for you than attempting to get everyone else to slow down to a speed you find comfortable.

Or....wait for it.....you could follow the law. Your rights end where mine begin.

Here's a hint: The speed at which I'm comfortable is irrelevent. It's not all about me - nor is it all about you. It's called a speed LIMIT for a reason. Limit - upper bound...

I'll tell you what, when you cut the US death and maiming rates caused by negligent drivers in half, I'll take you more seriously.

For the record, that's more than 40,000 citizens killed and more than a million injured and maimed by negligent drivers each year.

As I said, I'm looking forward to the coming profusion of Euro-Style speed cameras.

People gotta die of something. Listen, I get it: i've been hit by a drunk driver with my family in the car. It sucked. Injuries have healed but we're in year three and haven't seen a dime yet for our costs. But I never feel unsafe simply because of "speed" of either myself or others around me - unless they are travelling too slow and being an obstacle to the smooth flow of traffic!

Failing to follow the sort of driving flow that I outlined in my last message is what leads to crashes. Americans have "voted" with their actions - we all speed. The few folks who aren't playing along are the ones that are making our roads dangerous.

Why should anyone be surprised. You don't have look outside BF to see the same attitudes expressed in the article.:innocent:

... to exit the freeway for example, we should do so by travelling faster than the cars to our right, and then merging in in front of them. Never take our foot off the gas and slow down and try to merge in behind the cars to our right. Because that will require the people behind us in our lane to hit their brakes to avoid hitting us. Not only is this precisely what causes ripples that lead to traffic jams, it is terribly dangerous ...

If a driver needs to apply the brakes because the driver of the vehicle ahead took their foot off the gas, then they are definitely driving too close.

If something happens on the road ahead and a driver needs to slam on the brakes as much as possible, then the following vehicles should also be able to slow down to a similar extent, if the following vehicles cannot do this safely then they are driving too close.

The only danger I perceive here is your advice.

I believe most people when they say they can be safe maintaining that higher speed not endanger themselves. However, I doubt many other non-speeders are expecting someone to be going 15-20mph faster than they are when they're already driving the speed 'limit.' It happens to me and I typically drive 5-10mph over.

A car going that much faster than me can come out of nowhere unless I'm driving with one eye on the road and the other on your mirror. It requires much, much more attentiveness than driving thinking everyone is going the typical 5-10mph over. Throw a phone or screwing with the cd player in the mix and it's not to hard see how it's game over.

Well, if you don't feel it's a safe place to be, then take the initiative and stay off the road. That will work out a lot better for you than attempting to get everyone else to slow down to a speed you find comfortable.

There are a few things we can do to make things safer on the roadway. One is to always stay to the right unless passing. And then when we do pull into the next lane to the left to pass, we make sure the speed we are travelling is at least as fast as the car coming up behind us in that lane. No, it is not enough that we are going faster than the car we are passing: we must go faster than the cars in the lane we wish to enter, or we have no business entering it.

Same technique should be practiced when entering the freeway. We should never rely on any other driver having to slow down to avoid hitting us. We must match or exceed their speed if we want to be in front of them.

Another one is to treat lane changes as forward movements, not sideways or backwards movements. If we want to get over a lane or two to the right to exit the freeway for example, we should do so by travelling faster than the cars to our right, and then merging in in front of them. Never take our foot off the gas and slow down and try to merge in behind the cars to our right. Because that will require the people behind us in our lane to hit their brakes to avoid hitting us. Not only is this precisely what causes ripples that lead to traffic jams, it is terribly dangerous.




Not likely. Sorry. But if you follow the tips above, we will never come into contact with each other.


I agree with most of what you have said, but a little forward thinking will find you merging harmoniously with right lane traffic WELL ahead of time so that you don't have to move over a lane or two to exit the freeway.

Well, if you don't feel it's a safe place to be, then take the initiative and stay off the road. That will work out a lot better for you than attempting to get everyone else to slow down to a speed you find comfortable.

There are a few things we can do to make things safer on the roadway. One is to always stay to the right unless passing. And then when we do pull into the next lane to the left to pass, we make sure the speed we are travelling is at least as fast as the car coming up behind us in that lane. No, it is not enough that we are going faster than the car we are passing: we must go faster than the cars in the lane we wish to enter, or we have no business entering it.

Same technique should be practiced when entering the freeway. We should never rely on any other driver having to slow down to avoid hitting us. We must match or exceed their speed if we want to be in front of them.

Another one is to treat lane changes as forward movements, not sideways or backwards movements. If we want to get over a lane or two to the right to exit the freeway for example, we should do so by travelling faster than the cars to our right, and then merging in in front of them. Never take our foot off the gas and slow down and try to merge in behind the cars to our right. Because that will require the people behind us in our lane to hit their brakes to avoid hitting us. Not only is this precisely what causes ripples that lead to traffic jams, it is terribly dangerous.



You are the poster child for the "me first" mentality, justifying your perceived privileged status with half-truths and pseudo-logic.

You are the poster child for the "me first" mentality, justifying your perceived privileged status with half-truths and pseudo-logic.

Do you have an substance based refutation to his comments? If so please share them. Lobbing generalities like you did is not very instructive or otherwise useful.

We're a republic, not a democracy. Correction for mistaken belief above.

First, the highly varied nature of our roadways in a number of dimensions. Design speed, number of intersecting roads, maintenance, signage, everything. We're highly inconsistent often on the same road. This patchwork leads to folks doing a perfectly reasonable (if not legal) speed have the road change and are then moving an unreasonable speed for that particular road. When I drove a wrecker I'd often visit such transition points. They're excellent drunk traps, but get ordinary people.

As the article quoted by the OP points out, most of the problems deal with the culture of ME. I suspect one aspect is the routine failure to understand or intentional dismissal of the physical limitations of vehicles and eyeballs. Folks overdrive their cars all the time and certainly overdrive their sightlines. Not that folks are driving faster than their vehicles can handle the road, but they're driving at speeds that won't allow the time of emergency handling that might be required given the sightlines. This isn't just the obvious stuff. 65 mph around a nicely engineered bend with a truck entrance around that sweeper presents the opportunity for encountering a 35 mph wall of metal. The particular spot I'm thinking of has the less nimble vehicles right on the edge of control while they change lanes. Very typical.

Maybe this is primarily failure to acknowledge that the sightline required for mere guidance is quite short, but the sightline required for anticipation and control is a good deal longer. As is the attention required. For control, eyeballing the corner and moving through it are pretty easy. Actually stopping at the stop sign and looking to anticipate what's coming is a different matter.

Add distractors on top of that. And a cultural attitude of speed, out of my way, and me me me. And that's what I see on the road.

Out here we've got several classes of drivers, so it's not everyone. We've got the rural dwellers who know that eventually there will be a tractor around the corner, or a fallen tree. The rural teens who speed, but can drive, and don't generally do insane things, just stupid fast things. Mostly this is a reasonable mix without too much speeding and with a good deal of caution for others. Then there are the city people who have moved out. They tend to be more distracted (cell phones), be driving difficult vehicles (low and small sporty or huge SUV) that go pretty fast and are isolating from the environment, and be in a stupid hurry. They're the ones generally over the center line, passing on blind corners, failing to keep much of a lookout, and running stop signs at substantial speed without really looking. They also seem to be the speed limit plus 20 folks. They do die on the roads with some regularity. And finally, the service vehicles the movement of the city people have brought. These are often lost city drivers in larger vehicles who don't seem to have either handling or anticipation skills suitable to their role.

So it's quite a mix.

And there are a few people who can drive. The motorcyclists seem to drive very sensibly. Our shop is on a motorcycle tour route and we see lots. They aren't usually speeding. Lots of side roads and poor sightlines. I also see a certain number of rather nice sporty cars driven exceedingly well. Very safely, perfect lines, crisp shifts, absolute control. Like a very fast drive in slow motion. Hitting the apex etc. This is always a pleasure. I'm one of those and there are several others in my neighborhood. I can tell they've really driven and have tremendous respect for inertia and rate of closure.

Dealing with them is difficult. With the vehicles I can take a hit from, I drive on my side of the road up to having my wheels right on the edge. I don't generally slow down or otherwise do much than our traditional raise a finger greeting. Unskilled cell phone mamas who do not know the corners of their vehicles sometimes end up in the ditch with their big SUVs. They have room, but don't know it, and won't think of slowing down. The folks who rally outweigh my little truck I attempt to encounter where I have a bit of a safety zone on my right. I treat them the same as the SUVs, but if I need to pop away to avoid a collision I can. The tailgaters - I just drive as I usually do. At the speed limit or below depending on sightlines. That and actually stopping and looking at stop signs drives them berserk!

And the nicest people are idiots on the road. I had a lady cus me out for driving the speed limit. Took her a few minutes to realize she'd eaten dinner in my house and worked in my office. Idiot. And a fellow running a stop sign into me on my bicycle is an administrator at the elementary school. I paid him a sweaty visit. He stops and looks now. But a certain number of folks are incredibly obnoxious about their right to be jerks. Can't educate them.

Enough of a rant. I think it's getting worse. I drive defensively as I can, and I used to actually be able to drive at decent speed in a controlled setting in the real fast cars. The ones that you heat the tires up on. Somehow education in general responsibility and all that flows from it is required, but I don't see how to get there. My daughter won't even get a learner's permit!! She wants nothing to do with the whole game.

be well

If a driver needs to apply the brakes because the driver of the vehicle ahead took their foot off the gas, then they are definitely driving too close.
I don't know what roads you have the luxury of driving on, but let 20 typical American drivers loose on a road and they'll be in a pack that looks like a slinky in no time. Brake, gas, brake, gas, it's worse than a Cat 5 criterium. A little consideration for one's fellow drivers and a willingness to speed a little to complete passes faster would make all the difference. I just make my way through packs like that and end up in the clear space between packs.

Virginia now has signs that say something to the effect of "just because your righteous self is going the speed limit doesn't mean you should camp in the left lane." There are many ways to be a road hazard.

WTF is a republican? or more to the point, why should I care?.... one of our past prime ministers referred to Australia as a 'banana republic' once, and I do like bananas. Does that make me a banana republican?:roflmao2:

You are a banana republican if you voted for Bush or one of his partners in crime, namely Tony Blair, Berlusconi and Howard.

But you can either say "sorry" or you can ride a bike to somewhat make up for that. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClYzTB6lneg

By the principals of our democracy, the law should be changed. After all, democracy gives us the right to make stupid decisions.

Do you ever consider the rights of other people not to be hit by chuckleheaded drivers?

Just Curious...

I just heard yesterday on the radio that DEMOCRACY IS ABOUT CHANGE. Just when I thought democracy denied change, and only a revolution can deliver. :rolleyes:

speed isn't as dangerous as poor driving habits are. The autobahn functions quite well because of a hyper organized and obedient system of right lane slow left lane fast.

people here have no idea what that means. We are a nation of left lane campers.

sometimes people may be in a rush/emergency. EVERYONE should be able to move over for an emergency vehicle...however this never happens since people just sit and hang out in the left lane right lane...wherever they please.

Funny, Germany makes room for both the very fast (autobahn) and the very slow (extensive bike lanes). Isn't that the whole point of DEMOCRACY, to accomodate the fast and the furious?* :rolleyes:

*I'm just furious about the lack of bike facilities. ;)

speed isn't as dangerous as poor driving habits are. The autobahn functions quite well because of a hyper organized and obedient system of right lane slow left lane fast.

people here have no idea what that means. We are a nation of left lane campers.

sometimes people may be in a rush/emergency. EVERYONE should be able to move over for an emergency vehicle...however this never happens since people just sit and hang out in the left lane right lane...wherever they please.

The autobahn also functions because drivers are given strict training and the rules are strictly enforced.

The autobahn also functions because drivers are given strict training and the rules are strictly enforced.

agreed.

I'm just wondering why we can't decide to do the same thing here?

In the context of cars and speed, as a professionally trained defensive/escape/evasion driver, safe following distance is the key to being able to react to just about anything on a fast highway. What a driver needs is room to react, 2-4 feet behind the car in front of you at 60+ mph and you're a statistic just waiting to happen. With our increasing density on the highways, this room to move is more and more difficult to come by. That, and move out of the passing lane fer pity's sake.

Just like biking, don't overlap and give yourself enough room to react to changing conditions. Being defensive doesn't mean slow, it means being ready.
Typical formula suggest two seconds of open road between you and the car in front of you... good luck getting that much room on an urban expressway these days.

Personally, I'm looking forward to Euro-style speeding cameras.

Me too! With the revolution we will have speed cameras and retire half the police force, the judges, and all of the lawyers. :rolleyes:

agreed.

I'm just wondering why we can't decide to do the same thing here?

Anything that's smart requires critical thinking and that may threaten the status quo.

Why bother when everybody is happy in ignorance?

Remember, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. :rolleyes:

agreed.

I'm just wondering why we can't decide to do the same thing here?

Because following rules infringes on our freedom.

That, and we've become masters of rationalization for the sake of putting ourselves first.

Az

We tried speed cams here in Ontario and it was an epic failure. I can't remember why though. Seemed cardboard cutouts of police cars peeking out of access roads and from behind signs worked pretty well too.

As I said, I'm looking forward to the coming profusion of Euro-Style speed cameras.

OK, then on the March on Washington (see post elsewhere) we will petition for BIKE FACILITIES and SPEED CAMERAS... Happy? :rolleyes:

We're a republic, not a democracy. Correction for mistaken belief above.



Good to know. So we are in the business of exporting democracy to others (Iraq and others), but not to practice it ourselves. I think this a fair assesment of what we've got here...

"Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens" -Alastair Farrugia

I say we should lower the speed limit on all roadways by 10 mph. Then have more police enforce these laws, and get tickets. And add an extra tax to those tickets to support public transit in said jurisdiction. Then have that money be invested in general infrastructure. Then, as less people drive and take public transit, there will be a need for more people to drive the trains and buses, thus creating more jobs. And THIS is how we can escape this recession!

speed and stopping distance (http://www.jmu.edu/safetyplan/vehicle/generaldriver/stoppingdistance.shtml)

you will notice that stopping distance increases geometrically with increasing speed. the faster the driver is going, the less likely they will be to stop in time and the more likely there will be more severe injury to whoever's unlucky enough to be hit by a speeding driver.

Me too! With the revolution we will have speed cameras and retire half the police force, the judges, and all of the lawyers. :rolleyes:

If they put speed cameras, people would instantly revolt and simply require that the speed limit be raised to about 80mph on most highways.

Ok. So we have two basic arguments.

1) That increased speed = increased stopping distance and less time to react.

2) That one can hypothetically drive above the speed limit, and still be safe.

On their face, those two arguments are not mutually exclusive. I personally would worry less about an attentive, high-skilled speedster, than a distracted driver driving the speed limit.

So, here's what we do: We have monitors in all cars to record their speed. We increase the repercussions for at-fault accidents, and if speed was a factor in an at-fault accident, we punish the driver severely, even if there is only property damage.

The other side, is more stringent skill requirements, ala Germany, where fatalities are a smaller percentage than here.

If a driver needs to apply the brakes because the driver of the vehicle ahead took their foot off the gas, then they are definitely driving too close.

Those of you who live in less populated places might have the luxury of spreading yourselves out. But in nice places like California, it is impossible to leave the 'safe distance' between cars that we were all taught about when we learned to drive. So we must adapt the way we drive so that we don't endanger the drivers behind us. Not slowing down a lot in our current lane is one of these things.

apparently pacificaslim supports continuing to speed instead of retraining drivers to behave more safely