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Does Speeding Account for Serious and Fatal Accidents?

April 15, 2018 Hastings and Hastings

Residents in Arizona and many other states in America are often seen rushing through their busy days, doing their best to tend to family and work responsibilities. Whether you’re taking a quick trip to the gas station or traveling across the state to visit family, you will often see the roads jam-packed with motorists. Some may not be in a rush toward their final destination but many will be fighting time to get to where they need to be. Due to this, a driver may be compelled to put the pedal to the metal and unintentionally speed. Even though a mile- or two-an-hour beyond the speed limit may not seem like much, speeding can be very dangerous.

Speeding can come along with very extreme consequences, including losing control of the vehicle, drifting off the road, or losing the ability to stop in time, all of which can lead to serious or fatal accidents.

Speeding Puts You In Serious Danger

Studies from 2016 show that 27 percent of 10,111 traffic-related deaths were caused by speeding. This study also discovered that during a period of 20 years, speeding was involved in one-third of traffic fatalities. So yes, speeding impacts the driver’s safety and puts passengers in serious danger.

There are many dangers that arise when a person is speeding. This type of behavior behind the wheel results in a larger potential of losing control on the roadway and increases the amount of damage and injuries that occur during a crash. People who are harmed during an accident due to a speeding driver have legal rights they can pursue. Injured passengers and drivers have the right to personal injury claims. These claims have the purpose of holding the negligent driver responsible as well as recovering any compensation that is due to the injured party.

Statistics and Facts About Speeding

In America, there are nearly 112,000 speeding tickets issued to drivers. This equals out to be about 41 million speeding tickets each year. If you are a speeder yourself, research shows that you have a 1 in 6 chance of getting caught. On average, a speeding ticket will cost you anywhere from $115 to $135; however, this amount is greatly influenced by court costs in your state as well as any additional fines and fees that may apply to your speeding situation. Even though a one-time penalty of $115 may not seem like much, the amount your insurance premium can increase by a ticket is very astonishing. In fact, after one ticket, your rate is likely to increase by 18 percent. A second speeding ticket will increase it by as much as 34 percent.