Richardson Speeding Truck Accident Lawyer
Speeding is common. Most people break the speed limit at least once in their driving career, and many people speed every time they drive. To some, driving at 40 mph in a 35 mph zone sounds relatively harmless. But there’s a reason speed limits exist.
When you’re speeding, your accident risk increases exponentially. The faster you drive, the greater your risk. Repeat offenders may believe they can speed while still driving safely. However, this is untrue. Speeding is always reckless.
Speeding causes some of the most deadly car accidents in the nation. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding killed 9,378 people in 2018 alone. In 2017, speeding contributed to 27% of all car accident deaths.
In addition to raising overall accident risk, speeding also increases the severity of accidents. If you’re rear-ended on a residential street by a car traveling 25 mph, you’ll likely experience whiplash and mild to moderate vehicular damage. However, if the same car strikes you at 60 mph, the accident could total your car and result in severe injury or even death.
Were you involved in an accident caused by speeding? If a speeding driver damaged your car or caused a collision resulting in injury or death, you can pursue compensation. You will most likely be eligible for a personal injury settlement.
Our Richardson, TX lawyers are standing by to assist you. Call (214) 740-4556 for a free accident consultation with no obligation.
Why Speeding Kills
In a car accident, impact force causes damage and injuries. To calculate impact force in a crash, we multiply vehicle mass (weight) by acceleration (speed).
For example, an average midsize sedan weighs around 3,300 pounds. Let’s say this car is traveling at 35 mph when it smashes into you. In this scenario, the impact force is 115,500 newtons (the scientific unit of measurement for force).
Now let’s imagine the same sedan causes an accident while speeding at 70 mph. The impact force doubles to 231,000 newtons. That’s a significant, potentially deadly increase.
When you speed, you endanger your own life and the lives of everyone else on the road. Speeding makes it much harder to control your vehicle. If a speeding driver encounters a hazard on the road, they may not have enough time to react safely. They may cause an accident when they slam on their brakes or swerve to avoid the hazard.
Speeding increases a vehicle’s stopping distance. Stopping distance is a combination of two factors:
- Reaction Time: The amount of time it takes for a driver to notice a problem and hit the brakes.
- Braking Distance: The amount of time for the car to decelerate and come to a complete stop once the driver brakes.
Stopping distance is the reason why experts caution against reckless driving practices like tailgating. You need to leave space between your car and other vehicles so you don’t cause a rear-end collision when you stop.
When you’re traveling at higher speeds, your car has more momentum and takes longer to decelerate. For example, the average vehicle driving 50 mph needs a stopping distance of 174 feet. That’s the approximate length of 13 other cars. In bad weather or poor road conditions, this distance may increase.
Drivers may have 174 feet to stop when they’re cruising on the interstate, but imagine traveling at 50 mph in a residential zone. If a driver needs to stop suddenly while speeding at 50 mph through a neighborhood, they’ll probably cause a severe accident.
Speeding also contributes to the risk of one of the most deadly types of car accidents: a rollover crash. Rollover crashes have a very high fatality rate because most cars are not reinforced for safety on the sides or roofs. Soft-top convertibles have no protection at all when they roll over.
A speeding driver may cause a rollover accident by hitting another car at a certain angle. In other situations, the speeding car may skid out of control while turning or braking. It may slide into a nearby vehicle and cause that vehicle to flip over.
Finally, speeding can be disastrous for cyclists and pedestrians. A speeding car may not have enough time to avoid hitting them. Because cyclists and pedestrians have no external protection, they can be severely injured or killed.
Accident Caused by Speeding Liability
You may be wondering how to determine liability in a speeding accident. Although speeding is illegal, how do you prove the other person was driving over the posted limit? After all, a collision will cause their vehicle to come to a stop.
Police and accident investigators can usually determine the speed at the time of a crash. They look at vehicular damage as well as other evidence like skid marks or broken guardrails. The severity of your injuries can also prove illegal speeding. Finally, there may be witness testimonials or security camera footage to show the driver speeding.
However, even if you can’t prove they were speeding, the other driver will likely be held liable for other reasons. Speeding usually results in additional negligent behavior. The driver could be declared at fault for rear-ending you, passing illegally, or breaking other traffic laws during the accident.
If there are any liability concerns in your accident case, seek legal counsel. An accident lawyer can work on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected.
Free Richardson Accident Caused by Speeding Lawyer Consultations
Reach out to our Richardson accident lawyers to discuss your case. Consultations are always free. We will help prove liability, determine how much compensation you could receive, and fight to help you win.
Our lawyers can also help if you or someone you love has incurred injuries from a speeding accident, such as:
- Head injuries, including Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
- Neck injuries such as whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries, nerve damage, or paralysis
- Cuts, scrapes, and bruises
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding or organ damage
- Psychological damage like PTSD
Don’t let an accident caused by speeding ruin your life. Call (214) 740-4556 to speak to an attorney with no obligation.
