The land speed record is 1227 mph set by an American driving a souped-up Pinto. Actually, it was a highly engineered turbofan that looks more like a missile than a car and it most likely did not come with an 8-track like most Pintos.

Since the first car people (American males in particular) have been enamored by speed and will go fast at any given opportunity. Many have asked: Why buy a Porsche when the speed limit is 60 mph?

Perhaps it’s the knowledge that you can go 150 mph if you choose and if by chance you get caught up in a cinematic car chase with foreign spies you will be fully prepared. But speeding is a serious problem with even more serious consequences. It is the leading cause of death in American males ages 15-35. Yet people don’t seem to take it as seriously as they do cancer or swine flu.

Well, the Washington State Patrol cares and they’re beginning to target areas where people seem to habitually speed in Pacific and Wahkiakum counties. Troopers assigned to the Naselle detachment office have seen fewer collisions along state routes during the first quarter of 2010.

The 7 troopers and one sergeant in the Naselle detachment said that they investigated 24% fewer collisions along state routes in those counties.  During the first half of 2010, troopers investigated 97 collisions, as compared to 128 during this time period in 2009.

What’s more exciting is that collisions where speed was listed as a contributing factor accounted for only 6 of those collisions, as compared to 34 in 2009. That’s a decrease of a whopping 82%.

Unfortunately, DUI was listed as a contributing factor in 12 of those collisions, the same as the first half of 2009. So it seems people are having more luck chipping the lead from their feet than pulling the bottle out of their mouths.

But the detachment was happy to report that during the first half of 2010, there hasn’t been a single fatality collision on a state route between the two counties.  In 2009, there were 6 fatal collisions in that area, 2 of which involved commercial vehicles and 4 of which occurred during the first half of the year. Let’s do the math here…that’s a 100% decrease!

Troopers in the Naselle detachment have been provided with additional training regarding commercial vehicle enforcement from representatives with the WSP’s Commercial Vehicle Division (CVD). Utilizing this additional training, they have begun to focus more on commercial vehicle violations.  Additionally, CVD personnel have scheduled more emphasis patrols in this area throughout the year.

“This reduction in collisions can be contributed to many factors, including the assistance of local law enforcement agencies located throughout Pacific and Wahkiakum who routinely support the traffic safety goals of the Washington State Patrol,” Trooper Krista Hedstrom wrote in a media release.

They also intend to keep increased patrols during the summer as tourist volumes are high in some of the popular camping and vacation spots in those counties.

This is all great news and we commend all of the troopers and local police involved. Speeding is a problem for everyone on the road because speed limits set a reasonable expectation of how fast cars are approaching so that other motorists can merge or turn safely into traffic and pedestrians can safely cross the street.

Please don’t speed, for the sake of everyone else.

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured or killed in a car accident by a speeding driver, it is important that you find legal representation right away to walk you through the complicated insurance and medical procedures. Call Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

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