Speed Question

captnjack wrote:
You make some valid points. There really is a lot that goes into it. But the stopping distance goes up drastically when comparing 64 to 70 MPH. At 70 mph you will need around 50-75 feet of additional space to stop your vehicle. (Numbers are conservative I believe) So the difference between 64 and 70 could be the difference between hitting something in front of you or not hitting it. Close call vs collision. I think we can agree that close calls are safer than collisions.

Correct. Hard to compare distance to stop numbers not knowing the weight of the vehicle, condition of tires, brake controller settings, etc. My post is based upon my driving conditions. When I am pushing 68 or 69 mph (usually my top end for towing), I make certain that I have an adequate stopping distance and that I am scanning the road ahead.

Some people just believe the blanket statement that "SLOWER IS SAFER". My sister subscribes to the mentality. She drivers slow everywhere she goes, but she barely pays attention to the car ahead of her, let alone 2 cars ahead of her, or beside her, or behind her. She employs ZERO awareness when driving... but she is driving slow, so its safe, right?

That is absurd. If you are driving safely, paying attention to the road, being diligent about road conditions, know the cars that surround you so you know where you have an avenue of escape, are paying attention to the cars (plural... more then the one directly in front of you) in front of you, scanning the horizon for potential hazards, etc then going 70 is no more dangerous than 64.

Blanket statements about speed being the end all, be all to safety are ignorant at best. Speed is one piece of the pie. If you are doing everything else right, then 70 is just as safe as 64. However, if you aren't doing everything else right, 64 can be just as deadly as 70.