Background

Speeding is a major factor in serious and fatal traffic crashes.  Speeding is not just driving faster than the posted speed limit.  It is also driving too fast for the prevailing weather, light, traffic and road conditions without full regard for the vehicle condition and driver skills and experience. 

Statistics

In 2006 speeding was a factor in 35% of fatal crashes, 16% of hospitalisation crashes and 16% of other crashes attended by Police.  In the rural areas, the Mid West had the highest proportion of crashes related to speed (27%).  This compared to the metropolitan region where 16% of all crashes were related to speed.  Over the ten years to 2006, the proportion of serious crashes related to speed peaked in 1999 at 19%, since then it has been on the decline.

Males continue to be over-represented as drivers/riders in speeding-related fatal crashes in Western Australia.  In 2006, 87% of the drivers and riders involved in speeding-related fatal crashes were male, of these over half (53%) were in the 17-24 year old age group. This is compared to 26% of 25-39 year old males, 17% of 40-59 year old males and 3% of males aged over 60 years.

Community Attitudes

In an ongoing survey of community road safety attitudes, 73% of young (17-39) male drivers admit to deliberately speeding.  While most (87%) of those who deliberately speed exceed the limit by up to 10km/h. 

[Back to Top]        [Back to Road Safety]