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Does Speeding Really Save Time?

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Speeding
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Speeding saves less time than you think, and the math proves it.

Great effort is spent educating drivers about the dangers of speeding, from the long-term cost and inconvenience of a ticket to the increased likelihood of severe injury or death.

So, why do so many people do it?

Studies show people underestimate the time saved from a relatively low speed and overestimate the time saved when increasing from a relatively high speed. This phenomenon is known as the time-saving bias.

The time-saving bias has been attributed to the fact we consistently fail to recognize the relationship between increasing speed and reducing time is not linear.

How Much Time Do You Save by Speeding?

The average driver saves about 26 seconds per day and 2 minutes per week by speeding. The most time is saved when accelerating from a low starting speed.

For example, going from 40 mph to 50 mph saves 3 minutes, but going from 80 mph to 90 mph only saves 50 seconds. The faster you drive, the less time you save.

Here's another example: a 10-mile trip at ten mph takes 60 minutes. The same trip at 20 mph would take half the time - 30 minutes, considerable savings!

Now, let’s increase the speed to 30 mph. A 10-mile trip at 30 mph would take 20 minutes. And at 40 mph, the trip only takes 15 minutes.

And this doesn’t factor in things like traffic or stop signs, which would make the trip longer.

Speeding: It’s Risky Business

Speeding tickets are expensive and add long-term increases to your insurance coverage.

Worse than a ticket is the increased crash risk. The relation between speed and crashes is clear and has been shown in many studies: the higher the speed, the greater the probability of a crash.

Furthermore, as speed increases, the injury severity in crashes also increases—not just for the driver responsible for the crash occurring but for all others involved.

This is one of the reasons speed limits are set. However, this doesn’t mean ‘keeping to the limit’ is always safe. Speed is also dangerous if it is higher than the circumstances allow at that moment (e.g., rain, fog, or traffic volume).

Higher driving speeds also mean less time to process information and act on it, significantly reducing the chances of avoiding a crash.

Speeding doesn’t save much time and can significantly stress your trip. Stay safe by following speed limits and remind the people you care about to slow down.

A speeding ticket lawyer in Jacksonville can help you fight your ticket and get the best possible outcome. They can increase your chances of getting your ticket dismissed, reduce fines and penalties, and save time and hassle.


If you have received a speeding ticket in Jacksonville, contact our speeding ticket lawyer today. They can assess your case and develop a plan to fight your ticket.

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