Speeding? Everyone think’s you’re a hoon
It might in the moment feel be all fun and games being out on the free road. The fresh smell of engines revving to race each other to the next traffic lights.
The feeling of victory and pride. All for what? To end up ruining a life. I bet it wouldn’t be all fun and games then.
12:01am, Thursday on a cold and windy night, I was fast asleep and the midnight air was filled with chaos.
I heard the sirens of police and ambulance’s, followed by police helicopters patrolling the night sky with their headlights transcending down to my street.
BANG! BANG!
A loud eruption like sound was the sound that withstood the night as it woke up the whole neighbourhood.
I peered through the blinds and it was raining. A gleaming light of headlights were seeming through and there was smoke everywhere.
The headlights were bright and the street came alive. It was a mess.
People screaming as the neighbouring house had a car sticking out of it as it crashed into their home.
I turned on the TV to find out what had happened and a news reporter stated the following:
BREAKING NEWS!
We’re reporting to you live this morning from the scene of a recent car crash in a suburban street. It involved two cars with one being torn in half and one crashing into the living room of a house.
This all happed at 12:01am due an illegal street race that occurred between two cars.
They spun out of control from speeding and were playing loud music at the same time.
The casualties had debris all over them and this resulted in 8 people suffering multiple injuries and two passengers sadly passing away.
Both drivers were sentenced to 12 months in jail and fined $2,200.
Police were on the scene and want people to know that speeding is against the law and this must stop!
Our roads must be safer!
Let’s have less speeding on our roads to reduce fatalities.
In my local area Georges River Council youth speed more to impress other people to show how cool they are.
I hear of stories that are similar to this on the news and even see people speeding in the streets as they think that it will make them get to a place faster.
If people plan accordingly ahead of time and leave earlier they will arrive to a place at the right time and not risk putting other people’s lives in danger.
(Georges River Council, 2021) state that “Speeding is the leading cause for 40% of fatalities on our roads and the age groups responsible are from 21- 39 year olds.”
The people in the community who are most likely to speed are P platers due to the likelihood of them being risk takers as they are free to drive by themselves due to no restrictions placed on them by others.
(Budget Direct, 2020) state that “When you speed your field of vision is reduced. This affects your ability to react clearly to hazards approaching the vehicle from the side or rear.”
Budget Direct, 2020) state that “In 2019, the were a total 1,195 road deaths in Australia.”
Transport NSW initiated a new campaign warning all drivers to be wary on the road as an accident can happen at any time and that it isn’t always the other person’s fault.
Road Safety charity Brake (2017) state that they “Want all cars in Scotland to have Intelligent Speed Adaption systems installed in all cars as the system shows the speed limit of the road a person is driving on and can control the speed of the vehicle.”
You can help make a difference on our roads, it starts with you impacting the decisions of other peoples lives on the road.
Think before you speed, you could be putting your own life and others at risk.
Change in the community can be achieved by:
Lobbying for more speed camera’s in hidden places, speed bumps and roundabouts being built in high speeding places.
Educating people from a young age of the rights and wrongs of driving and the consequences associated.
More anti speeding ads to remind people to not speed.
The fatalities in school related incidents have increased as people do not slow down in 40 km school zones and endanger children, there should be more signs in these area’s that remind people from a closer distance to slow down around schools.
(Transport NSW, 2020) stated that “Over the five years from 2015 to 2019, 743 people were killed and 6,372 were seriously injured in speed-related crashes in NSW.”
I suggest there should be no speeding signs that remind people to slow down and more hidden police cars recording people’s speeds.
Speeding fines should be included in school zones.
Ads shouldn’t be about new sports cars and how fast they go, as this can encourage speeding behaviour, they should be for slowing down on roads.
Think twice before you speed.
Is getting there faster all worth risking your own life and the ones of others.
Silence those who want you to speed as every action has a consequence
Teach others why it is wrong to speed.
Next time before you leave home plan accordingly to ensure you arrive at the desired time without rushing which causes you to speed.
Don’t give into people who speed stick to the speed limit.
You can be the voice of reason and change in the community by reporting people who speed and risk the lives of others by gathering information about their vehicle and your own license and present this to a service NSW building and seek justice.
Follow the social change movement #saferoadsformorelife
Don’t be like this, drive safely!
