Statewide Study Suggests N.C. Drivers Avoiding Speed Limits

Two people

died Monday

when their vehicle crashed near the Rolesville exit on Highway 64. Authorities said speed was a factor in the accident.

"In the blink of an eye, the driver lost control, skidding through this area here and slammed into those trees. The bottom line -- speed kills," state trooper Darby Guy said.

Guy said he and his fellow troopers see firsthand each day how the results of a statewide study play out on the highways. According to the study, the average speed in a 55 miles-per-hour zone is 63 miles per hour. In a 65 miles-per-hour zone, it is 72 miles per hour.

Numbers from the study suggest the probability of death and serious injury grows with higher speeds. It doubles for every 10 miles per hour over 50 miles per hour. The statewide study also said the most frequent excuse from speeders is, "I was in a hurry."

Guy said the next time motorists put the pedal to the metal on the road, they should just think about what he had to do after Monday's accident.

"[I had to] notify two families that two of their loved ones were not going to come home this evening," Guy said. "It's never a good situation. There's never a good way to go about telling someone that they've lost someone in their lives."

The study also showed that faster, easier-to-handle cars can also contribute to more dangerous conditions on our highways.