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Data Shows That Drivers Speed Up Commutes During COVID-19 Pandemic
Data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) shows that there has been a notable increase in drivers' speed during regular commute times during the coronavirus pandemic.
Fox Business reported that CMT analyzed 1.28 million trips between May 1st and May 14th this year and during the same days last year. “It specifically focused on rush hour times, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” the report said.
It appears that drivers have increased their speed from last year for both morning and evening commutes.
Drivers spent 42.1 percent more time during their commute speeding in the mornings, as compared to morning commuter data in 2019. They are reportedly speeding between 15 and 20 mph over the speed limit.
In the dates mentioned for the analysis, the median morning commute for drivers has decreased 9.6 percent from last year.
The average speed of drivers involved in near-miss collisions at this intersection downtown has almost doubled – from 26 mph to 49 mph – since streets emptied during COVID-19. Slow it down! Data from @BvueTrans video analytics partnership with @Transoft. #SafeSpeeds #VisionZero pic.twitter.com/7vT9HyudQu
— Bellevue Transpo (@BvueTrans) May 8, 2020
“A 9.6 percent decrease in morning commuting might not seem too alarming at first, but seeing as speeding is significantly up this is not a habit we want to see continued as more drivers enter the roads in the coming months,” the CMT analysis said.
As for evening commutes, drivers are speeding as well. CMT says that evening drivers spent 39.5 percent more time speeding than evening drivers last year.
The data also shows that evening commute times decreased by 8.4 percent.
“Whether it's the open roads or higher anxiety that is causing commuters to increase their speed, there is concern as to what this means for future commuters as we see more people getting back on the roads,” the CMT analysis said.
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