Police Ask Drivers To Slow Down In San Mateo County

REDWOOD CITY, CA — The Redwood City Police Chief asked for drivers to slow down and provided data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that shows just how fatal speeding can be.

“A speeding-related crash can easily result in devastating injury or a fatality, because of the intense impact on the body,” said Kristina Bell, Redwood City chief of police. “Drivers on El Camino Real, Woodside Rd and Jefferson Ave should be especially aware of this campaign and their speed. These are the areas where many of our speeding-related crashes occur”.

Speeding remains a significant factor in traffic accidents across the U.S., resulting in thousands of injuries and fatalities annually, according to the NHTSA. In 2023, speeding contributed to 11,775 deaths, making up 29 percent of all traffic fatalities, the NHTSA said. While still substantial, this figure represents a 3 percent decrease from 2022, when 12,157 speeding-related fatalities were recorded, the NHTSA reported.

“We are urging everyone to commit to keeping our roads and city safe by obeying all speed limits,” Bell said. “Slowing down is the right choice. Ultimately, speeding catches up with you.”

Speeding significantly increases the risk of crashes for young drivers and motorcyclists. In 2023, speeding was a factor in a substantial percentage of fatal traffic crashes involving young individuals, according to the NHTSA. Specifically, 37 percent of male drivers and 18 percent of female drivers aged 15-20 who were involved in fatal crashes were speeding, the NHTSA said.

Among motorcycle riders, 36 percent of all those involved in fatal crashes in 2023 were speeding, according to the NHTSA. The highest rate of speeding involvement was observed in motorcycle riders aged 21-24, with 51 percent of those in fatal crashes having been speeding, the NHTSA reported.

“Speeders don’t just put themselves in danger of serious injuries and death, they put other road users, including passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, at risk as well. Drivers have a shared responsibility to keep themselves and all road users safe. Obeying the legal speed limits and driving at a speed that is reasonable for road conditions is part of fulfilling that responsibility. Speed limits are put in place to reduce crashes and minimize a crash’s impact on the human body. Set through an engineering process, speed limits are no less important than the vehicle safety technology developed over the last decades,” police said.