Speed limits are there for everyone’s safety. Yet many drivers choose to ignore them, and that often has consequences both for the drivers themselves and for others.
Speed is one of the most common factors in fatal traffic crashes, playing a role in 29% of the fatal crashes that occurred during 2024. That’s an average of 31 deaths per day that are at least partly due to one or more motorists going too fast.
It makes crashes more likely
If you have ever played a car driving computer game, you’ll have noticed how much harder it becomes to maintain control of your vehicle as your speed increases. The same applies to real vehicles on real roads. There is more kinetic energy at play to try and control. Your brakes and tires have more work to do to slow the car when you brake while going fast. Your tires also have more force to fight to change direction when you are traveling at speed.
It gives you less time to react
The faster you travel, the less time you have to react, yet, as explained above, you actually need more time than when traveling slower.
If you are traveling at 50 mph, you will reach a point up ahead much faster than if you are traveling at 20 mph. If someone steps out into the road, or a driver pulls out into your path, both you and they have less time to take evasive action. ‘
It puts more force into the crash
Crashing at a higher speed puts more force through whatever you hit than a low-speed crash. That force often translates to more serious injuries or a raised risk of death. It is one of the key reasons schools often have 20 mph limits outside them – the difference between a pedestrian getting hit at 20 mph versus 30 mph could be the difference between life and death.
Anyone injured by a speeding driver may need to learn how best to hold them responsible. A skilled auto accident attorney can help you evaluate your options and take the next steps.
