Speed Awareness week, which takes place August 14 through 21, is a high-visibility enforcement campaign supported by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee to stop speeding and prevent avoidable crashes caused by unsafe speed.

According to preliminary data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College, unsafe speed was a contributing factor in 353 fatal crashes in 2021, compared to 317 fatal crashes in 2020 — an 11 percent increase. The 353 fatal crashes last year resulted in 389 deaths including drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

During last year’s Speed Awareness Week, law enforcement throughout the state issued 23,087 tickets for speeding and 32,170 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations, such as impaired and distracted driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speed was a contributing factor in 29 percent of all traffic fatalities nationally in 2020. Additionally, NHTSA says speeding causes:
– Greater potential for loss of vehicle control
– Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment
– Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger
– Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries
– and Increased fuel consumption/cost

For more information about traffic safety in New York State, please visit the GTSC website at https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/.