Why do some people drive at 160 km/h on the highway?
4 Answers
Because they have a radar detector combined with navigation alerts, coupled with a sense of luck and a desire for thrill-seeking, some people drive at 160 km/h on the highway, but this is a traffic violation. Here are some relevant details: Speed limit of 120 km/h: The speed limit on domestic highways is 120 km/h, with a maximum tolerance of up to 130 km/h, as there is a 10% redundancy for speed limit violations. If caught driving at 160 km/h, you will be penalized with 6 demerit points. Most importantly, at a speed of 160 km/h, any accident would almost certainly be fatal. For your own safety and the safety of others, do not speed. Precautions: Safe driving on highways requires maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, observing carefully when overtaking, staying away from large trucks, and avoiding sudden braking.
As a transport driver with twenty years of experience, I often see reckless drivers speeding up to 160 km/h on the highway. Honestly, at that speed, there's no chance to stop in time—emergency braking at 120 km/h takes about 100 meters, but at 160 km/h, it's nearly 200 meters! Some people are testing their new car's performance, some are just racing in the heat of the moment, and others are overtaking trucks out of spite. But let's be clear: exceeding the speed limit by 50% means an immediate 12-point deduction, license suspension, and a fine starting at 2,000 yuan. Last year, our team's Xiao Zhang was caught by a mobile speed camera doing 152 km/h on the Hang-Jin-Qu Expressway, and he's still retaking his driving test. Not to mention, tires have their limits—driving at 160 km/h in the summer heat is like riding a moving bomb.
Just helped a friend deal with a speeding ticket. His reason for driving 160 km/h was quite typical: he thought new cars need a high-speed break-in period. In fact, modern car manufacturing technology no longer requires deliberate high-rev running. The manual clearly states to avoid prolonged high-RPM driving. At 160 km/h, the drag coefficient doubles, fuel consumption surges over 40% compared to 120 km/h, and it causes gradual wear to the engine and transmission. I once saw a BMW with a blown engine at a dealership—the technician said it was due to the owner consistently driving over 150 km/h on highways, which melted the piston rings. The repair cost was enough to buy a new car.
The risks of driving at 160 km/h must be clearly calculated: On the Jinggang'ao Expressway, there is an average of 1.2 surveillance points per kilometer, and exceeding the speed limit by 33% will definitely be captured. According to last year's traffic bureau data, 38% of accidents caused by speeding occurred in the 140-160 km/h range, and in fatal cases, 75% were due to the speeding vehicle being fully liable for compensation. At a speed of 160 km/h, a sudden crosswind can cause the vehicle to lose control. Last year, all seven rollover accidents on the G15 Shenhai Expressway were due to speeding in crosswinds. Not to mention the hydroplaning effect on wet roads—the five-car pileup on the Taizhou-Jinhua Expressway in Zhejiang the year before last was caused by a leading vehicle skidding at 160 km/h over a waterlogged surface.
