Good timing is critical to safe driving Good timing is critical to safe driving.  To develop into a conflict or cause a collision, a potential hazard must move into your immediate path of travel.  Knowing how much or whether to decrease or increase your speed, depends on how well you can judge when and where other hazards might close in or come closest to your path of travel. Speed saves time; however, speed also can create problems relating to managing time and space. Excessive speed, also known as speeding, is when you exceed the legal or posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions.  Sooner or later the speeder will meet up with law enforcement or an accident.  You need to manage your speed. As we noted earlier, speeding is the major cause of fatal traffic accidents

There are four conditions that affect maximum safe speed. The first is traction, and traction refers to the tire’s grip on the road. A decrease in traction means increased stopping distance. Adjust your speed to the conditions that decrease traction such as slippery roads. The next condition is visibility. You must be able to stop within the distance you can see; therefore, adjust your speed to the conditions that interfere with visibility such as rain, fog, snow and darkness. Traffic conditions affect your speed because you need to maintain a safe space-cushion in traffic.  You do this by adjusting your speed to the volume and flow of traffic to maintain that safe cushion. The fourth condition is road characteristics.  The shape of the road affects both your traction and your visibility.  You must adjust your speed to compensate for curves and hills

There are three ingredients that add up to your total stopping distance and your vehicle’s speed is the most critical ingredient. If you are driving at 55 miles per hour, the distance your vehicle travels from the time your eyes see a problem until your brain knows about the problem is approximately 60 feet. This ingredient is considered your perception time. The distance you will travel from the time your brain tells your foot to move from the accelerator until your foot pushes the brake is considered your reaction time. Reaction time at this speed accounts for an additional 60 feet. Lastly, the distance it takes to stop your vehicle once the brakes are applied is called the braking distance. On dry pavement, your braking distance at 55 miles per hour is about 150 feet. What does this mean to you? Well, the total time it will take to bring your vehicle to a complete stop, taking perception, reaction and stopping distance into account, is 270 feet at 55 miles per hour. How far is 270 feet? Well, 270 feet is almost the length of a football field and the time it will take you to travel that 270 feet is approximately 6 seconds

Your speed matters.  When you double your speed, it will take you about four times the distance to stop your vehicle.  By slowing down you gain reduced braking distances and precious time. You should be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead. Other conditions such as bad weather may require you to slow down in order to do so.   The safest speed for you to travel in heavy traffic is within 5 miles per hour of the prevailing speed of traffic. At all times, you should maintain a safe following distance and as the speeds decrease, you should back off to increase the safety cushion. When you exceed the speed of the flow of the traffic, it is more tiring and it will increase your odds of having an accident. The safest and easiest speed for you to drive at is with the flow of traffic

You must have traction to steer or brake your vehicle You must have traction to steer or brake your vehicle.  The traction you need is the friction between your tires and the road surface. Wet roads can reduce your vehicle’s traction and double your stopping distances. You should use these inclement weather speed guidelines: - Reduce your speed by about one third on wet roads. - Reduce your speed by as much as one half on packed snow. - Do not drive on ice as you have little or no traction at all. It is important that you observe the road conditions and adjust your speed accordingly.   Some examples to watch for:

Slippery roads pose hazards that you must adjust your speed for, as well as shady areas which remain icy and slippery longer than unshaded areas. Watch out for bridges because bridges freeze before the road freezes.  This freezing occurs when the temperature is close to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Are you aware that melting ice is more slippery than unmelting ice?  And black ice is clear enough that you can see the road so you tend to be unaware of the danger. A good reminder of the road conditions is your vehicle.  If your vehicle has ice on it, then the road surface is probably starting to ice up. Just remember to drive with caution if the temperature is below freezing and the road looks wet. Rains.  The roads are very slippery right after it starts to rain. Hydroplaning.  This may happen to your vehicle when you drive on a wet road.   Your vehicle hydroplanes because the tires lose road contact and have little or no road traction.  Hydroplaning is more likely to happen if your tire pressure is low and the tread is worn.  Be aware that hydroplaning can occur at speeds as low as 30 miles per hour if there is a lot of water. The key to controlling hydroplaning is this: do not use your brakes to slow down, just ease up on your accelerator

Adjust your speed downward to compensate for curves. Taking curves too fast causes you to lose traction and your vehicle will travel straight ahead.  If your wheels are able to keep traction, your vehicle may roll over. It is best if you slow down before entering a curve rather than braking in a curve because this may cause your vehicle to skid. Entrance and exit ramps are curved and require you to slow down to maintain traction.   Observe the posted speed signs at entrances and exits and be prepared to stop.   Frequently you will find a stop sign or stop light at the end of the exit ramp or a motorist waiting for traffic to clear.