Police will be running Operation Safe Speed for the next three days, targeting speeding drivers in a bid to reinforce the message that a reduction in speed will save lives and reduce injuries, according to SA Police.
With recent studies indicating excessive speed was considered a contributing factor in 27 per cent of fatal crashes, police are aiming to talk to as many drivers as possible to push the message into the driving community that speeding is a killer.
The October operation follows Operation Safe Speed in July this year, when a 282 per cent increase in speed detections was recorded compared to a non-operational period.
Inspector Billy Thompson, Officer in Charge of SAPOL’s Traffic Support Branch, says creeping over the speed limit is a problem.
"The majority of drivers do the right thing, but a number still think that driving over the speed limit is acceptable when clearly, it is not.
"We know that the risk of a casualty crash approximately doubles with each 5km/h increase in speed on a 60km/h speed limited road, or with each 10km/h increase in speed on 110km/h roads.
"Research suggests a reduction of 5 km/h in average travel speed would reduce rural casualty crashes by about 30 per cent and urban crashes by about 25 per cent.
"During Operation Safe Speed, police will have a highly visible presence on roads where high speeds occur and at high traffic volume times.
"When police stop drivers, as well as enforcing penalties for any offences, drivers will be spoken to about the dangers of speeding and will be given a Motor Accident Commission postcard explaining the risks of speeding.
Operation Safe Speed concludes at midnight on Saturday, 22 October.
