New 'hard-hitting' ad urges motorists to slow down on NSW roads

Tara McCarthy, Deputy Secretary for Safety, Environment and Regulation said the campaign would be seen around the state and aimed to make motorists stop and think about the risks going 'just a bit' over the speed limit could have.

"Every km counts when it comes to speeding on our roads, and this campaign clearly demonstrates how speeding can change your life, or other's lives in ways you cannot imagine," Ms Mcarthy said.

"Research by Transport for NSW shows most drivers believe they can easily handle driving slightly over the speed limit and that this behaviour is not dangerous.

"However, the reality is that in NSW between 2015 and 2019, at least two thirds of speed-related deaths and serious injuries occurred when a driver or rider was travelling no more than 10km/h over the sign posted speed limit," said Ms McCarthy.

"Drivers often assume only high speeds are dangerous. It's time that this assumption is stopped, as well as the assumption people make that it's 'someone else' who's behaving dangerously on the roads and not themselves."

Ms McCarthy said the campaign clearly highlighted that it wasn't just "hoons" who were putting lives at risk.

"It's everyone who thinks it is ok to 'go a bit over' or not drive to the conditions," she said.

As speed increases, so does the likelihood of serious injury or death with 130 people killed and more than 3000 people injured in speeding-related crashes last year.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Ms McCarthy said that an increase of 5km in a 60 km/h zone doubled the chance of crashing.

"If you're going 10 km/h over the speed limit in a 60 km/h zone, you're four times more likely to be injured in a crash," she said.

"There is no such thing as safe speeding, let's all stop being so casual about it."