Drivers who exceed speed limits are the cause of about one-third of all crash deaths in the US. To slow them down and save lives, cities have several effective tools.
Why are speed countermeasures popular? The obvious answer is that residents recognize the threat that reckless acceleration poses to life and limb. But that may not be the sole reason. A recent paper by Kelcie Ralph, a transportation researcher at Rutgers University, concluded that most people mistakenly see speeding as much less dangerous than driving drunk or distracted. Still, those who underestimate the risks of flooring it might still support speeding countermeasures out of a desire to punish lawbreakers.