The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Chadron Police Department is working to keep everyone on the road
safe by raising awareness about the dangers of speeding and urging drivers to obey speed limits.
From July 12, 2024 to July 31, 2024, the Chadron Police Department will be taking part in the Speeding Slows You Down high-visibility enforcement campaign. If a driver is pulled over for speeding, he or she will be issued a ticket for breaking the law.
In 2022, there were 12,151 fatalities in speeding-related crashes, accounting for 29% of total traffic fatalities. The same year resulted in a decrease of fatalities of 2.8% from 12,498 in 2021.
Young drivers and motorcyclists are especially susceptible to high speeds, and they represent the largest demographic involved in speeding-related vehicle crashes. In 2022, 35% of male drivers and 19% of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group involved in fatal traffic crashes were speeding.
Thirty-five percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2022 were speeding. Motorcycle riders 21 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes had the highest speeding involvement at 51%.
We want to remind motorists that the speed limit signs are not suggestions, they are the law. Speed limit signs are posted for the safety of the driver and others in that particular area. We see motorists everyday speeding and our goal is to get motorists to slow down and create a safe environment for everyone.
Much like impaired driving, speeding is a selfish choice that has deadly consequences for the driver, vehicle passenger(s), and others using the road. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous object, or an unexpected curve. Even the safest cars with the newest technologies are limited in how much they can help reduce the odds of a crash.
According to NHTSA, local roads are more dangerous than highways for speeders. It’s a common misconception that speeding is an interstate-related issue: In fact, in 2022, 87% of all US speeding-related traffic fatalities occurred on routes other than interstates.
During this campaign, officers of the Chadron Police Department will be patrolling Highway 20 and Highway 385, in Chadron, in an effort to slow motorists down. Drivers should be especially aware of this campaign and their speed, as tickets for speeding will be issued.
We ask for everyone to slow down. Our goal is to save lives and reduce accidents. The posted speed limit is the law and there are no excuses.
For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding.