PACIFIC COUNTY Between July 15 and Aug. 7, law enforcement officers throughout Pacific County will be part of a statewide effort in search of speeding drivers. 

With summer upon us, there are a lot more people out and about, both as pedestrians and drivers. Unfortunately, some driving habits such as speeding dont change. Its an alarming fact that even driving at 30 miles per hour on dry pavement requires a stopping distance of 41 yards. Thats eight car lengths or almost half of a football field, according to Lawrence D. Woolf, Ph.D., writing in Staying Alive: The Physics, Mathematics, and Engineering of Safe Driving.

How much do you know about the dangers of speeding? Take this short quiz:

TRUE OR FALSE: About 20 percent of all traffic fatalities in Washington involve speeding drivers. FALSE. More than 40 percent involve a speeder. (Source: Target Zero: Washington States Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2010)

TRUE OR FALSE: A speeding ticket can cost as much as $411. TRUE. The average speeding ticket in Washington is $156, but as your speed increases, so does the fine. In fact, a speeding ticket in Washington could easily cost more than $411. (Source: WTSC based on the AOC Bail Schedule)

TRUE OR FALSE: Most of Washingtons traffic deaths occur on freeways. FALSE. Most of Washingtons fatal and serious-injury crashes occur on rural roads, which are often unlighted and undivided. (Source: Target Zero: Washington States Strategic Highway Safety Plan 2010)

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission and the Pacific County Traffic Safety Task Force urges all Washingtonians to take this speeding quiz. Visit www.considerthisyourwarning.com for these and many more brainteasers. Results will be tabulated on the accuracy of Washington drivers answers and available in August.

Speeding is a major contributing factor in fatal and serious injury crashes in Washington, and therefore, is a priority of Target Zero, said Lowell Porter, director of the Traffic Safety Commission. Well publicized and highly visible speed enforcement is a proven combination that reduces fatal crashes. Obeying speed limits is something everyone can do to support highway safety in Washington.