What are the hazards of speeding while driving a motor vehicle?

[LeClaire]

Driving a car at excessive speeds poses the following hazards: 1. Increased reaction distance: When a motor vehicle travels at 60 km/h, the average person's reaction time from recognizing danger to applying the brakes is approximately 0.7 to 1.0 seconds, resulting in a reaction distance of about 17 meters (free travel distance). At 120 km/h, the human reaction distance increases to about 39 meters (free travel distance), doubling the distance. 2. Accelerated vehicle wear: High-speed operation intensifies the vehicle's workload and stress, hastening the wear and tear of mechanical components. This is particularly detrimental to the tires, causing not only erratic and skidding wear but also raising friction temperatures, which can lead to rapid aging and deformation of the tires, increasing the risk of blowouts. 3. Disruption of normal traffic flow: Speeding inevitably leads to frequent overtaking and oncoming traffic situations, increasing the driver's psychological stress and disrupting the normal flow of traffic. If the driver lacks quick reflexes, they may be unable to respond effectively to sudden dangers, losing control of the vehicle. 4. Reduced reaction capability: At high speeds, the driver's focus tends to fixate farther ahead, narrowing the field of vision. Objects outside the window pass by too quickly, and it takes about 0.4 seconds for the human eye to detect a target and an average of 1 second to clearly identify it. In dangerous situations, this leaves insufficient time for judgment and emergency actions. 5. Extended braking distance: As speed increases, the vehicle's braking efficiency decreases, the friction coefficient drops, and the braking distance lengthens, making it harder to stop the vehicle promptly when needed. Additionally, higher speeds amplify vehicle vibrations and jolts, compromising safe driving. 6. Worsened accident consequences: The kinetic energy of a moving object is directly proportional to its mass and the square of its speed. Experiments show that a motor vehicle colliding with a concrete wall at 60 km/h is equivalent to the impact force of falling from a height of 14 meters (5 stories). A collision at 100 km/h is comparable to falling from 39 meters (13 stories), with devastating consequences.