Gov. Moore Launches “Slow The Fast Down” Safety Campaign
Image Courtesy of Maryland Department of Transportation
MARYLAND – Governor Moore has announced the launch of “Slow the Fast Down,” a new safe driving campaign to reduce the number of fatalities associated with speeding.
“The safety of Marylanders is my number one priority,” said Gov. Moore. “The ‘Slow the Fast Down’ campaign is a refusal to accept the status quo on our roadways, inspiring more drivers across Maryland to ease off the gas and put the brakes on aggressive and reckless driving to continue our decline in traffic deaths and injuries for a second straight year.”
The message behind this campaign is simple: slowing down saves lives. Each year, nearly one-third of all fatal motor vehicle crashes involve excessive speed. Further, speed is a contributing factor in many other crashes. When drivers travel faster than road conditions, traffic, or roadway design safely allow, reaction time is reduced, stopping distances are shortened, and increases crash severity.
Image Courtesy of Maryland Department of Transportation
Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller echoed the sentiments of the new campaign, saying the following:
“As a transportation engineer, I’ve spent my career designing and building safer infrastructure. The most important safety feature is the choice each of us makes behind the wheel. Speeding isn’t just breaking the law, it puts families, first responders, road workers, pedestrians, and every person on our roadways at risk. Obeying the posted speed limit can be the difference between life and death. If we want to save lives, every driver has a role to play.”
Education and outreach can raise awareness, but enforcement and accountability are also essential to changing driver behavior. Throughout July, state and local law enforcement agencies across Maryland will increase high-visibility enforcement to deter speeding and other dangerous driving behaviors.
