Why is speed an issue?

We know higher speeds lead to more crashes and a greater chance of injury or death, regardless of what causes an accident.

A small change in speed makes a big difference, it affects a driver’s ability to react and stop in time, especially when cyclists or pedestrians are involved.

In a crash, speed is the number one factor in determining your chance of survival or likelihood of serious injury. We are focused on ensuring that everyone who uses our roads can do so safely.

The chance of survival varies significantly based on a number of factors. This graphic was inspired by Auckland Transport (AT). It uses data from Research Report AP-R560-18, which was published in March 2018 by Ausroads - the Association of Australian and New Zealand Road Transport and Traffic Authorities.

If a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 50km/h, there is only a 20% chance they will survive. At 30km/h, the survive rate increases significantly to 90%.

Stopping

When a vehicle crashes, it undergoes a rapid change of speed, but the people in the vehicle keep moving at its previous speed until it stops. The faster the speed at which the human body must absorb the energy released in the crash, the greater the severity of the resulting injury.