Turns out paying too much attention to your speed actually makes you a more dangerous driver: Study
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Researchers from the University of Western Australia have conducted a study on the effects of concentration and fatigue on drivers who were instructed to stay at the speed limit.
In a nutshell, drivers were in simulators and told they would be fined if they went 1 km/hr over the speed limit.
The effect on their concentration levels was akin to being on a mobile phone.
When drivers were told they would be fined if they went 6 or 11km/hr over the limit, their ability to concentrate improved.
It appears the added pressure of constantly monitoring your speedometer actually makes you a more dangerous driver.
The research throws into question the strategy used by WA Police and the State Government in rolling out more and more hidden and permanent speed cameras around WA, and whether these efforts are actually making the roads more dangerous, because drivers are spending more effort monitoring their speed than detecting road hazards.
