Serious car accidents that result in debilitating and even fatal injuries are usually caused by a range of risky driving practices, such as distracted driving, alcohol or drug impairment, drowsy driving, and more. Speeding is one of the most common factors that cause traffic collisions. Excessive speed contributed to more than a quarter of all […]
Speed-Related Car Accidents
Serious car accidents that result in debilitating and even fatal injuries are usually caused by a range of risky driving practices, such as distracted driving, alcohol or drug impairment, drowsy driving, and more. Speeding is one of the most common factors that cause traffic collisions. Excessive speed contributed to more than a quarter of all fatal car accidents according to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report. Speeding not only increases the likelihood that a driver will be involved in a collision, but it also means collisions generate more force often resulting in severe injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash caused by a speeding driver, an experienced car accident lawyer can discuss your legal rights and the best way to protect those rights.
The colloquial term “speeding” refers to two distinct forms of unsafe driving. The most common type of speeding involves driving faster than the speed limit for a given roadway under normal conditions. If a driver is traveling 85 mph on the interstate, for example, the motorist could be ticketed for speeding because this exceeds the speed limit on all U.S. interstates. While this first form of speeding involves driving faster than the posted limit, drivers can be required to lower their speed significantly lower than the speed limit to account for accident risk factors like visibility, weather, and traffic congestion. Since this second form of speeding involves a judgment call regarding whether a driver’s speed was excessive based on existing conditions, these claims require a knowledgeable car accident attorney with experience evaluating and proving liability under such circumstances.
Drivers who speed increase the risk of causing an accident in several ways. Speeding makes it more difficult to steer and maintain control of a vehicle. In some cases, this results in dangerous rollover or road departure accidents. Motorists traveling at high rates of speed also lose valuable time to engage in evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision. By way of example, a driver’s stopping distance increases as a vehicle’s rate of speed rises. Traveling too fast can turn a near miss into a serious auto collision.
Breaking the speed limit endangers others not only by increasing the likelihood of a crash, but this dangerous driving behavior also tends to cause more serious injuries when a collision occurs. Based on Newton’s Second Law of Motion, the force (i.e., impact) of an object (i.e., an automobile) is equivalent to an objects mass multiplied by its acceleration (measured based on speed as a factor). This means a driver involved in a collision does not just experience a force of impact that is 100 percent more intense when a vehicle increases from 20 to 40 mph. Rather, the force of the collision is the square of the amount of the difference between the two speeds, which amounts to a four-fold increase.
If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident caused by a speeding driver, an experienced car accident injury lawyer can discuss your rights and legal options.
Were you or a loved one harmed by a reckless driver? Parker Waichman LLP helps families recover monetary compensation for harm caused by dangerous drivers. For your free consultation, contact our law firm today by using our live chat or calling 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
