Slow Down! Why You Need to Lay off the Accelerator

Think there's no reason to slow down today? Think again. Here are a few good reasons to go a bit slower than you'd intended.

1. Gas mileage

First, going fast is more expensive than you might realize. Most petrol vehicles are designed to run at around fifty-five miles per hour. Deviating from that speed can cause significant increases in gas consumption. Moreover, a faster acceleration also takes more gas. And anytime you use the brake, you are reducing all benefits of gas burned to create speed.

In other words, driving with a lead foot on the gas pedal results in a lot of wasted gas! Instead, accelerate slowly and deliberately to the desired speed.

2. The danger in speeding

Speeding exponentially increases the risk of and potential severity of accident. When your car is moving quickly, you have less time to react to any emergencies on the road before your car moves. And, worse, a fast car will do more damage than a slow car. So reduce your speed!

3. Small benefit to speeding

Especially relative to the risk, speeding does not save as much time as you may think. For example, pretend that you are fifteen miles away from your destination, and the speed limit is an average of fifty-five miles per hour on your route. Speeding by ten miles an hour—going an average of sixty-five miles per hour—will only save you about two and a half minutes. There are very few situations in which 150 seconds matter.

4. It’s the law

Last—but certainly not least in our minds—is the most obvious reason to avoid slamming on the accelerator. Depending on the severity of a conviction, prosecution for dangerous driving or similar offense could result in a penalty of up to 11 points on your licence, a suspension of your licence, and prison sentence of up to two years!

Needless to say, it’s better to avoid speeding. If you have questions, or a problem relating to driving, don’t hesitate to call 0161 850 2347 for a free initial consultation.