Ten reasons to "slow down" this summer.

• Position: Travel safety, slow driving

For every reason there is to speed, there is a better one not to. Here are 10 compelling reasons to stop driving too fast, presented by Autobytel Inc's "Take the Pledge to Slow Down," a grassroots movement encouraging individuals to take responsibility for their driving habits.

Because summer is the most fatal time on U.S. roads. Americans travel more than one trillion miles during summertime. Nationally, an average of 269 additional people die in traffic fatalities each month during the summer than the rest of the year. Of the 25 deadliest days on U.S. roads in the past five years, 20 fell between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

To save lives. Higher speeds mean more accidents and more fatalities. Studies demonstrate that nine out of 10 pedestrians will die when hit by a car going 40 mph. At 30 mph, half will survive and, at 20 mph, one out of 10 will be killed. About one-third of all fatal motor vehicle accidents involve at least one driver who was speeding.

To save your own life. If you are traveling 10 mph above the average speed on the road, you are six times more likely to be involved in a crash. The chances of death or serious injury double for every 10 mph over 50 mph a vehicle travels.

To save gas, The faster you drive, the more fuel you burn--and gas prices never have been higher. Slowing down from 65 mph to 55 mph increases gas mileage by roughly 20%, while driving 65 rather than 75 improves fuel-efficiency by 25%.

To avoid expensive tickets. The average cost of a speeding ticket, with court fees, runs $150. The average insurance increase over three years after a speeding ticket is roughly $300.

Because the government is planning tougher speeding crackdowns. Excessive speed has become a top priority for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the government is pushing for high-visibility enforcement, with steep...