30 June 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) alongside law enforcement across the state will be holding a ‘Speeding Slows You Down’ campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding.
From July 10 to 16, agencies will be increasing enforcement for speeding to improve traffic safety.
“If you speed you aren’t just breaking the law,” KDOT Transportation Safety Bureau Chief Vanessa Spartan said. “Speeding increases the odds you’ll lose control of the vehicle, reduces the effectiveness of seat belts and child safety seats, increases stopping distance, increases odds of serious injury or fatality, increases fuel consumption and costs for the driver, and increases the economic implications from speed-related crashes.”
In 2021, 76 people died in speeding crashes in Kansas. Of the nearly 4,500 crashes attributed to speeding, people aged 15-29 were driving more than 50% of the time, according to a press release from the DOT.
It takes 221 feet to stop a vehicle traveling 50 mph and 460 feet for a vehicle traveling 80 mph, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Speed kills, which is why we encourage motorists to abide by posted speed limits,” Spartan said. “Please slow down, saving a minute or two is not worth your life or the life of others you share the road with.”
For more information on the risks of speeding click here.