Speeding is one of the most dominant factors contributing to traffic crashes in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the economic cost of speeding-related auto accidents is estimated to be $40.4 billion annually. More importantly, however, is the cost of lives associated with the dangers of speeding.
A collision is considered speed-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if racing was indicated by the officer, exceeding the posted speed limit, or driving too fast for particular conditions, which influenced to the traffic crash.
While the NHTSA continues in its effort to reduce the speeds of drivers, understanding the dangers of speeding is the most beneficial way to influence those most like to speed
Speed Related Injuries
Speeding results in 13,000 fatalities each and every year. As a driver’s speed increases, the potential risk for damage and severity of injury increases respectively. One out of every three fatal traffic crashes in the U.S. is associated with speeding.
As the third leading contributing factor to collisions, motorists must be aware of the vast dangers of speeding. As a habitual driving behavior, breaking speeders of this routine can be difficult, especially in young male motorists, a population segment notorious for speeding.
The following injuries are frequently associated with speed-related auto accidents:
- Brain injury
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Head and neck injury
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injury
- Whiplash
- Death
Speeding in Georgia
Speeding is a serious threat to the lives on anyone traveling on the Georgia roadways and highways. Unfortunately, as the number of motorists increases, as does their speed, sending drivers into a spiral effect of unsafe driving habits. Knowledge of the effects of speeding, such as impaired reaction time and survival rate, plays a large role in deterring the number of speeders, especially in younger drivers.
Drivers in Georgia must be aware of the following:
- The most prevalent age range for speeders is 16-34
- 7 in 10 drivers who exceed the speed limit are male
- Speeding is a factor in 30 percent of all fatal collisions on the road
- Speeding kills an average of 1,000 Americans every single month
- As speeding “trends” continue to swirl, officers have begun to ignore those driving 10-15 mph over the limit
Speeding is found more often on the highways of Georgia, creating a dangerous atmosphere for possible high-impact collisions. As the speed of the vehicle increases, the velocity at which it strikes an object upturns, generating a hazardous combination.
While Georgia speeding is not amongst the worst of surrounding states, drivers must still maintain awareness when traveling on congested highways, an area where speeders frequent. If a motor vehicle is approaching at an alarming rate, try to safely move to the rightmost lane to avoid a collision.
Contact an Auto Accident Attorney
Posted speed limits for automobiles have increased significantly in the last 10 years. As a central factor in one-third of all traffic fatalities, this form of dangerous driving cannot be ignored. Prevalent in teen drivers and young males, speeding is often shrugged off by these drivers as “normal”. Speeders put themselves and other drivers on the road at great risk.