In road safety statistics, speeding is estimated to be a factor in approximately what percentage of fatal crashes?

Introduction / Context:
This question is about traffic safety and statistical awareness. It asks you to recall the approximate percentage of fatal crashes in which speeding is a contributing factor. Governments and safety agencies publish such figures to highlight the dangers of driving too fast. Competitive exams sometimes include these approximate numbers to test whether candidates have internalised key public safety messages and can interpret basic statistics.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The question focuses on fatal crashes, meaning accidents that result in loss of life.
Speeding is defined as driving faster than the posted speed limit or too fast for road conditions.
Several percentage values are given as options 30, 25, 20 and 15.
The correct option should match the widely cited statistic that around three out of ten fatal crashes involve speeding as a factor.

Concept / Approach:
Speed increases both the likelihood of a crash and the severity of injuries when a crash occurs. Many national safety agencies report that speeding is a factor in roughly thirty percent of fatal crashes. The exam expects you to pick the closest approximate value, not to recall an exact number to many decimal places. Therefore, choosing 30 aligns well with the general safety message that about one third of fatal crashes involve excessive speed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall common road safety campaigns which often mention that speeding plays a role in about one third of fatal accidents.Step 2: Translate one third into a percentage. One third is approximately 33 percent, which is closest to 30 among the options given.Step 3: Evaluate option A, 30, and recognise that it matches this widely quoted order of magnitude.Step 4: Consider option B, 25, which is noticeably lower and does not fit the common one third description.Step 5: Consider options C, 20, and D, 15, which are even lower and would significantly understate the role of speeding in fatal crashes.Step 6: Conclude that 30 is the best approximate value for the proportion of fatal crashes involving speeding.

Verification / Alternative check:
To mentally verify, imagine a sample of ten fatal crashes. If speeding is a factor in about three of them, that corresponds to 30 percent. This simple mental model is often used in safety education because it is easy to remember. While specific numbers can vary slightly by country and year, the general message that about one third of fatal crashes involve speeding remains consistent. Therefore, among the provided options, 30 is clearly the most appropriate approximate value.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, 25, is wrong because it understates the contribution of speeding compared to the commonly cited one third figure. It suggests only one quarter of fatal crashes involve speed, which is lower than what major safety reports indicate.
Option C, 20, is wrong because it would mean only one in five fatal crashes involve speeding, which significantly weakens the public safety message emphasised in campaigns.
Option D, 15, is wrong because it implies speeding is a factor in fewer than one in six fatal crashes, far from the typical one in three estimate commonly referenced in awareness programmes.

Common Pitfalls:
One common mistake is to focus on the exact number and worry about slight variations between reports. For exam purposes, you only need the approximate value and general scale. Another pitfall is assuming that a lower percentage is safer and therefore more likely to be the correct answer, but questions on road safety usually underline the seriousness of the risk and thus use higher but realistic figures. Remembering that the figure is around one third helps avoid confusion.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is 30, indicating that speeding is a factor in roughly three out of every ten fatal crashes according to commonly cited road safety statistics.