The Side Effect of Driving Fast
Posted in Motoring Tips
The Side Effect of Driving Fast
We all know how dangerous speeding can be. It's a factor in at least one third of all road accidents in Australia, and is responsible for hundreds of fatalities each year.
While many drivers still find themselves creeping over the speed limit, the risk of fatality dramatically increases at faster speeds, so it makes sense from a safety perspective to keep an eye on the speedometer.
Less publicised effects of speeding, however, are those which occur on your car. The experts at our service centres should be able to assess your vehicle for these impacts, but it’s also important to keep an eye out yourself.
Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption depends on many factors, one of which is the speed it travels. In fact, reducing your speed can have such an impact on your fuel bill that recently the Spanish government reduced speed limits nationally in a bid to reduce fuel consumption.
Braking and stopping distance
Braking distance is the time it takes to stop once you apply the brakes. Braking distance can be affected by road conditions, car conditions such as bald tyres or poor brakes, but above all how fast the car is travelling.
A car travelling at 50 km/h will usually come to a stop after braking for 10 metres. When speed is increased to 100kp/h, however, it will take around 40 metres for the car to come to a stop. Essentially, when a speed of a car is doubled, its braking distance quadruples.
Tyres
Travelling at high speeds can cause your tyres to wear down more quickly, as they wear much faster when asked to brake suddenly or accelerate continuously.
Travelling at high speeds for long periods of time give tyres very little time to cool down, and when tyres run permanently hot their lifespan will decrease. This build up on heat in tyres can also lead to sudden destruction and rapid air loss.
This can lead to an accident, causing harm to yourself and potentially other vehicles. If you suspect a tyre on your car is damaged, immediately replace it with a spare and visit one of our service centres.
It's important to remember that tyres have their own speed rating, displayed on the side of the tyre. This shows the maximum speed at which the tyre can perform, so it's a good idea to bear this in mind when shopping for new tyres or seeking car insurance. Choosing a tyre with a slow speed rating could invalidate your insurance.
Speedbumps and potholes
Travelling on any terrain at high speed is going to have increased risk of damage to your car, as loose surfaces and debris are going to have a bigger impact when they flick up and hit your car.
This is especially the case for gravel chipping your windscreen - at low speeds it may not have much of an effect, but travelling more quickly will likely see greater damage. Travelling at high speeds over potholes can also damage tyres, causing dents, leaks or rusting.
At Motorama we have Brisbane's best service centres located at Moorooka, Browns Plains and Springwood. We service all makes and models, specialising in Holden, Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi, Kia and Nissan.
But we offer more then just servicing, with a range of products and expertise available to assist in all your ongoing vehicle maintenance needs.
