# ‘Motor Vehicle Crash Prevention’

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246>\
**Category:** Safety\
**Created:** [August 2, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246 "2025-08-02T02:11:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 4:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/61 "2025-08-04T16:48:34Z")

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Back when the freeway was still 55, I was following a guy in the left lane out of three. He raised his hand showing five fingers, the closed it and opened it again with another five fingers. I could easily do a psychological profile on the guy but finally was able to get around him. I hope he didn’t have a dog or a gun.

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**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/62 "2025-08-04T17:08:24Z")

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Another take on speed limits:

Statute vs Legal.

If I’m correct, (although I may have this backwards), ‘statute’ is what’s on the books. ‘Legal’ is what you must obey, as in , what’ s posted on signs.

Around 2000, the state of CT raised the maximum (statute?) assignable speed limit to 65mph.

This was a big deal for the humble Nutmeg state.

The posted limit, on _some, but not all_ limited acccess highways was adjusted accordingly - on I-84 and 91, as examples.

However, I suspect the CT driving public assumed 65mph was the ‘law of the land’, and started doing 65mph on _every_ limited access highway, from I-95, 395, Rte 15 (Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkway). The mentality in that instance was, 65 is the law of the land, ignore whatever is on the speed limit signs up and down-state.

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**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/63 "2025-08-04T22:51:43Z")

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> [@Purebred](#):
>
> I only see left turns from Northeastern Blvd,

I should have said ‘what about the person traveling southwest on Northeastern who wants to turn left onto Luthy’ - that lane looks like it.

> [@Purebred](#):
>
> people exiting from the shopping area would need to find a different exit.

People often don’t back up to look for a different exit - or take a right and modify their route.

> [@davesmopar](#):
>
> you do know there is a difference between a speed bump and a speed hump is right??

Santa Monica installed some speed bumps where humps were authorized, had to redo them - why I know about the difference.

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**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2025, 11:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/64 "2025-08-04T23:43:56Z")

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I guess one rattles your teeth more than does the other when going over them!

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 7:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/65 "2025-08-05T07:36:29Z")

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> [@RandomTroll](#):
>
> installed some speed bumps where humps were authorized, had to redo them - why I know about the difference.

Maybe it is more of a common sense and or street smart thing than a smart/higher education thing, cause if you have heard of the names of both and have driven over both, it is pretty much common sense as to what the difference is… Nobody ever told me the difference (def never read about it before this discussion), I just heard the name once and thought, well that makes sense…

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 7:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/66 "2025-08-05T07:48:25Z")

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> [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](#):
>
> I guess one rattles your teeth more than does the other when going over them!

Well, the basic use for both is the same, to slow down drivers, if someone is not smart enough to slow down before hitting them fast enough to rattle ones teeth, well, then that is on them…

I for one have never had my teeth rattled by one unless I didn’t see it and hit it going to fast (very rare)…

Most of the speed Humps in my area on neighborhood roads have painted yellow stripes on them, and some if not all in the same neighborhoods have warning sighs warning you of said Humps on that road…

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**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 11:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/67 "2025-08-05T11:04:17Z")

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I find even 5mph to be bone-jarring over some speed _bumps_.

Yes, I, for one, don’t care about revisionist vernacular and will always lump them altogether. We’ve been calling them speed bumps for decades.

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 11:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/68 "2025-08-05T11:20:53Z")

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I creep over them, most of the time stopping before touching them with my tires… If I hit one doing 5 mph, it was purely by accident…

Heck even in a customers vehicle test driving for a noise complaint going over bumps, I still cringe going over them above 1 mph…

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/69 "2025-08-05T12:44:08Z")

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In The UK, and in most of their former colonies, speed bumps are referred to as “Sleeping Policemen”.

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**Author:** ![hiker16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hiker16](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hiker16)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/70 "2025-08-05T13:56:36Z")

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Somehow, he survived that experience. Must have been traumatizing.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/71 "2025-08-05T14:10:21Z")

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“Speed bump” vs.”Speed hump”…one of the oddest discussions here, and that’s saying a lot!

IMO, all ‘speed humps’ are ‘speed bumps’, but not the reverse.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/72 "2025-08-05T15:02:10Z")

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Actually I never heard the term hump before, always bump. All the things you learn here. Now onto th3 term crash versus accident. We always called them accidents but a few years ago they changed the script to call them crashes (in my best southern drawl). Dot explained it but actually I didn’t buy the explanation. But I guess crash is more descriptive since accident could also include not having the 20 cents for the rest room (oops, water closet) attendant.

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**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/73 "2025-08-05T16:02:34Z")

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> [@bing](#):
>
> crash versus accident

Well, you crash your car into a wall, you don’t accident your car into a wall… 🤣

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 4:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/74 "2025-08-05T16:25:11Z")

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Ok, so it’s a verb now. I crash, you crash, he, she, it crashes. So my insurance still says accident free discount. They need to get with the program.

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**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/75 "2025-08-05T16:56:11Z")

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In CT, Speed Bump signs are being replaced with signs stating ‘Speed Hump’.

It’s the same bump, maybe now painted with stripes or safety yellow.

A ‘pat-yourself-on-the-back’ vernacular change made perhaps in some office off somewhere.

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/76 "2025-08-05T17:10:36Z")

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An example of a “Speed Hump” which is about ten feet in length to pass over and flat on top.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/3/033a9c212309cbae38aaf448d9b6369d80769886.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 5:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/77 "2025-08-05T17:24:02Z")

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Vs a Bump, which may be less than 3 feet travel length, and sharper radius curve over its top.

Got it.

But in regular conversation, I still say speed bump.

Govt. officials love to change terminology.

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**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/78 "2025-08-05T17:36:38Z")

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If you search on crash versus accident, it becomes apparent why the change in vernacular. Crash implies there is someone at fault whereas an accident appears somewhat faultless. I also grew up with the term ‘car accident’ being commonly used and never really gave it a second thought…

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/79 "2025-08-05T17:40:30Z")

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> [@TwinTurbo](#):
>
> Crash implies there is someone at fault whereas an accident appears somewhat faultless.

+1

“Accident” may be appropriate in some cases, but when you consider the overly-aggressive driving habits of many people, it becomes more appropriate to use the word “crash” instead.

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**Author:** ![ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/christhetirewhisperer/32/34798_2.png) [@ChrisTheTireWhisperer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ChrisTheTireWhisperer)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/motor-vehicle-crash-prevention/201246/80 "2025-08-05T18:54:51Z")

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> [@TwinTurbo](#):
>
> Crash implies there is someone at fault whereas
> 
> an accident appears somewhat faultless.

> [@VDCdriver](#):
>
> when you consider the overly-aggressive driving habits
> 
> of many people, it becomes more appropriate to use the word “crash”

It wasn’t an accident when one was speeding on icy roads and slid into oncoming traffic, or off the road into someone’s house. It was a _choice_ they made to drive too fast for conditions.

It was no accident when one driver rearended another because they were looking down at their phone screen. They made a _choice_ to look at their phone instead of assessing traffic conditions 5-10 seconds ahead.

It was no accident when the brakes failed on a truck or bus, and the vehicle crashed through a busy intersection. The truck or bus owner _chose_ to defer vehicle maintenance due to cost, or out of concern for not being able to fulfil business obligations, or whatever.

The above are all examples of incidents, but not necessarily classifiable as accidents.

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