Some people argue that safer cars can counteract the effects of speeding. It is true that new vehicle safety technologies can make crashes less likely and more survivable. However, no technology can completely overcome the laws of physics in terms of stopping distances and the speed/severity relationship.

Moreover, advances in vehicle technology are almost entirely to the advantage of vehicle occupants and not to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists. For these people, a reduction in the speed of the vehicle which hits them is critical to their survival.

Chances of survival

The chance of death or serious injury changes from minimal to substantial with surprisingly small increases in speed. For example, a person hit by a car at 30 km/h will be severely injured with about a 10% likelihood of death. If that speed is increased to just 55 km/h, the likelihood of death is about 85%.

Males make up approximately 85% of speeding-related fatal crashes in Western Australia with young males aged between 17 and 24 comprising nearly half those deaths.