Most drivers have broken the speed limit at least occasionally. Many of them believe that it’s relatively safe to do so. They may not drive recklessly—such as going 100 miles an hour down the interstate—but they don’t really see a problem with speeding in a more controlled fashion.
However, this perception is dangerous. Speed can actually have a major impact on car accidents in a few key ways.
Making accidents more common
For one thing, higher speeds tend to lead to a greater number of car accidents. One reason for this is that drivers have less time to react to conditions around them. They have to process a lot of information very quickly, and a slow reaction can be devastating.
Remember that it takes about a second and a half for a driver to realize they need to hit the brakes and then move their foot to the brake pedal. If that driver is speeding, they’re going to cover a lot more ground, and they could rear-end the vehicle ahead of them—whereas they would’ve had time to react and stop if they had been driving at a slower rate.
Making injuries more severe
Another thing to consider is that injury severity also goes up with speed. Car crashes are about the transfer of energy from one vehicle into the next—and into the passengers or drivers in those vehicles. The two main components when determining how much energy is in this equation are the weight of the vehicles involved and the speed at which they’re traveling. Increasing either one also increases the chances of severe or fatal injuries.
Seeking compensation
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a speeding driver? You may be able to seek financial compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering and much more.