Ever wondered how much time you or others on the road save by driving over the posted speed limit?
Let us calculate the time saved on a 30 km trip in a 60 km/hr zone by speeding.
https://www.countcalculate.com/cars-and-speed/time-savings-at-increased-speed
At 60 km/hour, time taken to complete the trip would be 30 min (to simplify, we are not considering traffic delays, stop signs, and traffic lights).
At 70 km/hour, time taken to complete the trip would be approx. 26 min (you’ve saved 4 minutes).
At 80 km/hour, time taken to complete the trip would be approx. 23 min (you’ve saved 7 minutes).
Try this calculator for your routine trips and see for yourself that the time saved by speeding is marginal, but the risk increases manifold.
Speed is only one of the factors that affect the time taken to reach your destination. You will meet other situations, such as red lights, traffic snarls, police patrols, etc. that are beyond your control. If you check how much time you’ve really saved, it would not be as much as shown above, especially in shorter trips. So speeding only saves you an almost insignificant amount of time, if any at all. On the other hand, speeding could put you at risk of being stopped by cops, getting a ticket/demerit points and leading to higher insurance costs, more fuel usage and, most importantly, potential risk of a serious or fatal collision involving you and other road users.
However, there are a few things you can do to drive more efficiently, that actually work without risking any accidents or trouble with law enforcement. Accomplish more through proper route planning efficiently. Plan the most efficient route before you leave, a little extra planning will save you gas & far more time than speeding.
Avoid peak hour traffic. Driving in off-peak hours will give your higher average speed while on the road due to reduced traffic and infrequent stops. This would not only save you time but also save you money for your gas as well.
Of course, the best way to get your destination sooner is to leave earlier. That advice may be impractical at times—everyone runs late occasionally—but leaving your home ten minutes earlier is a much more reliable way to save time and comes with considerably fewer risks than speeding.