A series of crash tests by IIHS and partners shows that impact speeds of 50 mph or 56 mph are far more likely to lead to injury or death than 40 mph i

New crash tests have revealed that even small increases in speed can be fatal.

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2021-05-17 11:43:29

A series of crash tests by IIHS and partners shows that impact speeds of 50 mph or 56 mph are far more likely to lead to injury or death than 40 mph impacts.

Drivers want to save time, and local transportation agencies want to improve traffic flow, but at what cost? With posted speed limits increasing on roadways around the country, a vehicle’s ability to protect drivers in crashes is in doubt.

Small speed increases can have huge effects on crash outcomes, as shown in new crash tests by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Humanetics. The safety organizations conducted crashes at three different impact speeds (40, 50 and 56 mph). They found the slightly higher speeds were enough to increase the driver's risk of severe injury or death.

Drivers often travel faster than posted speed limits, but when officials raise limits to match travel speeds, people still go faster. Today, 41 states allow 70 mph or higher speeds on some roadways, including eight states that have maximum speeds of 80 mph or more. A 2019 IIHS study found that rising speed limits have cost nearly 37,000 lives over 25 years. AAA and IIHS urge policymakers to factor in this danger from higher speeds when considering speed limit changes.