A new study suggests speeding has become routine for many of the state’s drivers.
AAA-Iowa spokeswoman Brynna Knapp says the research found going well above the posted limit is increasingly viewed as normal behavior.
“Speeding has become so common that many drivers consider going 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit acceptable. It’s just become a norm,” Knapp says. “So we looked into the study of why do drivers speed, what’s going to make drivers slow down, and how can we change those norms and attitudes on the road?”
Why are people putting the pedal to the metal? Knapp says one of the biggest factors is simply not wanting to get stuck behind someone moving slower.
“We all have felt that when we’re in a rush and we feel like other people aren’t going as fast as we want them to and we need to get to our destination,” she says.
Thirty-one percent of respondents cited getting around slower drivers, while 25 percent said they speed to reach their destination more quickly. The study also asked drivers what would make them slow down, and their responses included: bad weather, avoiding a crash, and avoiding a ticket. Still, Knapp says the research found many motorists believe there’s a cushion before police will stop them.
“Many drivers don’t expect enforcement until they are driving roughly 10 to 12 miles per hour over the road,” Knapp says. “So people are driving over the posted speed limit with the thought that they aren’t going to get pulled over unless they’re going at a really egregious speed over the speed limit.”
While the study found more than 90 percent of drivers believe speed bumps are effective, fewer than half support installing them in their own neighborhoods. Drivers also favor warning systems that alert them when they’re speeding, but not technology that actively limits a vehicle’s speed.