Speeding and punishment

[sweetjazz]

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The point is that speeding IS dangerous and it IS illegal, but people rarely have the same anger over it as a crime as they do other crimes, such as drug use. People would never go for a "3 strikes" law that gave mandatory life imprisonment to every caught speeding three times. Is there a good reason behind that, or is it simply due to the fact that there is some chance such a law could be applied to them or somebody they know and love?


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Do you know how many people die each year in the United States due to accidents caused by speeding? I don't, but am very curious to find out. I'm guessing that the number is MUCH lower than anyone here would guess

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I suspect that in almost all automobile accident fatalities, one of the drivers was driving above the speed limit. (Because many people drive above the speed limit a lot of the time.)

The relevant statistic would be how many accidents occurred which would not have occurred had the drivers been driving at or below the speed limit.

Also, the matter is complicated because sometimes people are speeding and also under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. In that case, both speeding and dulled reflexes may have contributed to the fatality. So speeding cannot be separated from DUI and other factors.