Many people are frustrated when they get speeding tickets because they feel like it’s a relatively minor issue that doesn’t need to be addressed with hundreds of dollars in fines. But there’s a reason that speed limits are in place, and it’s because speed can have a major effect on car accidents.
First and foremost, it makes these accidents more likely by reducing reaction times and increasing stopping distances. Someone who is driving 10 miles an hour over the speed limit has less time to realize that there’s a hazard ahead of them. It’s also going to take them significantly longer to slow and stop the car. Both of these factors combine so that this individual is much more likely to get into a car accident than someone who is following the speed limit. In this sense, speeding can actually cause car accidents.
More severe injuries
The other side of the equation is that car accidents at high speeds tend to have more serious injuries. It’s more likely that some of these injuries could be fatal and that individuals will pass away.
The reason for this is just that greater speeds transfer more energy into the accident. You could have a head-on collision at 20 miles an hour that may not result in any injuries, even if the cars were damaged or destroyed. But the exact same accident, if it happens at 70 miles an hour, could be devastating and lead to fatal injuries for numerous occupants of both vehicles. In this sense, speeding makes people less safe because accidents are more severe.
Have you lost a loved one or suffered serious injuries in a crash that another driver caused? You may be able to seek financial compensation.