"Folks who are not proficient behind the wheel use speed as a blanket cause"
Not the most ridiculous post in a long time... but close.  :R
People can rationalize excessive speed anyway they want but the number one cause of accidents and the accompanying injuries and deaths is excessive speed... for road conditions, equipment, and weather etc.  
This is a fact that can NOT be disputed.   :S  Speed limits are the maximum allowable rate of travel and they are set for ideal conditions, factor in poor weather, visibility, heavy traffic etc., and they drop dramatically for everyone, not just those of us who are intelligent enough to obey them.   :E