So picture this, every year The Australian Book of Records (TABOR), receives letters from the USA, asking if driving records should be recognised when the law of the land has been broken?
Specifically, citizens have raised concerns that speed world driving records are being recognised on normal roads from USA coast to coast, illegally going over the countries stipulated speed limits, breaking the law and having no real consideration for other road user’s safety.
What safety message does this project to young drivers?
TABOR were challenged to drive from New York to Seattle, a distance of 2,961 miles (4,768 km), staying within the legal speed limit and strictly following the road traffic act driving laws to the letter, in the fastest time.
If there was no traffic on the roads, no traffic lights, or any obstacles, the fastest legal driving time for a perfect drive sitting within every legal speed limit zone would equate to 42 hours.
Every driver knows this is unrealistic!
The team from TABOR drove this coast -to -coast journey to demonstrate to USA drivers when driving safely and efficiently what can be achieved.
The results are in:
Team TABOR consisting of three experienced drivers completed a USA New York to Seattle coast to coast drive covering 2,961 miles, 4,768 km in 45 hours and 20 minutes, sitting within the legal speed limit for the entire drive, with 6 independent adjudicators placed along the route for verification purposes.
The drive began in New York, in morning peak hour traffic, with many traffic situations en-route, taking the team down to 45mph and 55mph at times. Chicago created its own busy bumper to bumper traffic. The increased speeds from the halfway mark, with speed limits rising to 75mph and 80mph with traffic flowing meant that team TABOR concluded an honest drive, only 3 hours and 20 minutes over the 42- hour mark.
For health and safety, the three drivers were restricted to driving a maximum 8 hours each per day and worked with military precision at refuelling, buying food and driver change.
Each driver confessed they could not have completed this drive any quicker.
Team TABOR are grateful to Volkswagen America for providing the luxury, comfortable, powerful and efficient VW Tiguan SEL R-Line.
