Just how serious is speeding? It is involved in one out of three fatal car accidents in the last decade. If that surprised you, then we suggest you keep reading to learn about some other startling statistics related to speed and car accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
One Age Group is More Likely to Speed Than Others
According to a study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, teens are more likely to speed while driving than are older drivers. What makes these especially dangerous is that they are also more likely to follow the vehicle in front of them too closely. Both speeding and following too close reduce the amount of time they have to hit the brakes if they see a dangerous situation ahead.
The Cost is Huge
When looking at the financial cost of car accidents, the total is more than $40 billion each year. This is what speed-related accidents cost people in the United States. Of course, the financial cost is nothing compared to the loss of lives. Each year more than 10,000 people in the United States die due to speeding. That is one in four of all fatal car accident deaths. Speeding is simply not worth it.
Speeding is the Most Common Type of Reckless Driving
When people think of the term “reckless driving,” they often do not consider that speeding is part of this, but it is. In fact, there are five million car crashes caused by aggressive driving in the United States in the average year, and more than half of those involved speeding.
People Disagree About What It Means to Be Speeding
Many people who say that speeding is a serious issue are the first to speed. Why? Because they do not think they are speeding. In one study, 42% of those who were surveyed said that they did not think that driving ten miles over the speed limit was driving. 10% said that driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit was not speeding.
The same study found that people speed at least ten miles over the limit around half of the time. National data has shown that when a person is driving ten miles over the speed limit, they increase their chance of being involved in a car accident by more than 9%.
Call for a Free Legal Consultation if You Have Been Injured in a Car Accident
Whether speeding was involved or not, if you have been injured in a car accident, we invite you to contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation. We can discuss the specifics of your accident and determine the best way to move forward.
