You may be running late to a doctor’s appointment or to pick up your child from school. You may decide to push the speed limit, to go close to 70 miles per hour in a 55-mile-an-hour speed zone. You know you are technically breaking the law, but you are keeping your eye out for police. Isn’t speeding a victimless crime as long as you aren’t caught?
The dangers of speeding
Speeding really isn’t a victimless crime. In 2019, drivers were involved in 29,640 speed-related crashes in Pennsylvania. In those accidents, 415 people died. In 2020, during state shutdowns, the Governors Highway Safety Association noted that safety officials across the United States saw a steep increase in the number of drivers receiving speeding tickets as traffic ebbed. In fact, thousands of drivers received tickets for going speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. In Ohio, the number of drivers cited for going more than 100 miles per hour between April and September 2020 jumped 61%.
When drivers speed that much, they are more likely to:
- Lose control of their vehicle
- Flip their vehicle in an accident
- Not have enough time to react to sudden traffic slow downs
- Not have enough space between their vehicle and another to slow down with sudden traffic changes
- Cause accidents with more force, increasing the chance of people involved in the crash suffering serious injuries
When injured in a high-speed crash
If you are involved in a crash with a speeding driver, you need to make sure to call police to make a report about the accident. You also need to seek medical help if you suffer injuries in the accident and file an injury claim. You may need to consult a personal injury attorney to ensure you receive maximum compensation in your personal injury claim.
You want to make sure you get all the medical costs for your accident injuries covered. You may need to seek compensation for lost wages too. With the right help, you can get the compensation you need to move forward and focus on recovering.