Speeding is the one component to negligent driving that can maximize the severity of a crash. When combined with distracted driving, alcohol or drug impairment, or traveling on poorly designed roadways, mixing in speeding can be a recipe for disaster.
We've heard the same message year after year - speeding is dangerous. Many drivers continue to do it without acknowledging the consequences. It's habitual for many drivers because they have been doing it for years without consequences.
Link between higher speed limits and fatal crashes
Exceeding the speed limit, even by as much as five miles per hour, is common. According to MotorTrend, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has found a link between increased speed limits and traffic fatalities. IIHS has determined that an estimated 37,000 traffic fatalities occurred over the past 25 years across the United States due to speed limit increases.
The effects of increased speed limits during that time were analyzed by Charles Farmer, IIHS vice president for research and statistical services. Farmer pulled traffic fatality data from 1993-2017, and he linked an 8 percent increase in the highway fatality rate to a speed limit increase of 5 mph.
While a 5 mph increase in speed may not seem drastic to many drivers, it still increases the amount of time and distance drivers would need to avoid a crash in the event of an emergency. In addition, the added impact of a crash would likely cause more damage.
Approximately 41 states across the US currently have speed limits as high as 70 mph. Six more states have speed limits of 80 mph. Since many drivers habitually exceed the posted speed limit, raising the speed limit only encourages these drivers to travel at a higher speed.
Injured in a crash caused by speeding? Our attorneys can help.
In Connecticut, the maximum speed limit is 65 mph on interstate highways. The Model Minimum Uniform Crash Criteria breaks speeding incidents down into three categories:
- Racing: A speed-related competition involving two or more drivers. In 2015, this type of speeding resulted in 99 statewide crashes.
- Exceeding speed limit: A driver simply travels faster than the posted speed limit. In 2015, exceeding the speed limit resulted in 1,704 statewide crashes.
- Too fast for conditions: When a driver travels at an unsafe speed during inclement weather, traffic congestion, or other hazardous conditions. In 2015, driving too fast for conditions resulted in 9,135 statewide crashes.
If you were involved in a crash caused by speeding, it's likely that you've sustained serious injuries that require costly medical treatment, time away from work, and time away from engaging in everyday activities. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone & Morelli understand the psychical, emotional, and financial devastation a crash can cause.
Contact us today to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation.