Vehicle Speed & Risk of Serious Injury
Speed is a common factor of fatal collisions involving
vehicles and was cited as the primary factor in 20 percent
of all severe and fatal collisions reported from 2008 to
2012 (SFPD SWITRS). Greater speeds reduce field of
vision, increase required braking distance and result in
exponentially higher fatality rates.
Speed reduction is a key action the city will be pursuing;
however, that will only address part of the problem—
If hit by a person driving at:
traffic fatalities are a multi-pronged issue requiring
a multi-pronged solution. Through engineering,
education, enforcement, evaluation and policy
improvements, the City will reduce speeding, improve
visibility for all street users and increase awareness
of the problem. Together, these strategies will
empower people to make safer decisions and
inspire a culture change emphasizing traffic safety.
Person Survives the Collision
20 MPH
90%
30 MPH
40 MPH
Results in a Fatality
10%
60%
20%
40%
80%
U.S Department of Transportation, Literature Reviewed on Vehicle Travel Speeds and Pedestrian Injuries. March 2000.
http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Traffic+Techs/current/Literature+Reviewed+On+Vehicle+Travel+Speeds+And+Pedestrian+Injuries
City and County of San Francisco
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