In today’s busy world, we often hear “Everyone is in a hurry.” Unfortunately, this often holds true on the roadway in Austin and throughout Texas. When a speeding driver causes a serious accident, they are liable for damages to Austin personal injury victims under the state’s fault-based insurance laws.
How Does Speeding Cause Car Accidents?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is a factor in nearly one-third of all traffic accident fatalities in the U.S. Not only does speeding increase the chances of an accident, but it also increases the severity of injuries.
When city and state road planning agencies set the speed limits for specific roadways, it is the result of extensive studies to determine the safest speed for the road conditions and traffic flow of the area. Violating the speed limit increases the chances of an accident. Driving at excessive speed causes car accidents due to the following factors:
- The faster tires spin, the less traction they have, leading to a higher chance of sliding, skidding, or loss of control
- The higher the speed a car travels, the longer the stopping time required when the driver applies the brakes
- Speeding reduces reaction time—when there is a danger in the roadway, the driver has less time to react
- Speeding makes it more difficult to remain in the appropriate lane when navigating curves
- Excessive speed increases the danger of potholes, bumps, and cracks in the road
Under the comparative negligence car accident claim system in Texas, a speeding driver in Austin is the negligent party if their failure to adhere to the speed limit causes an accident with injuries.
The Connection Between Speeding and Injury Severity In Austin Car Crashes
In a collision, the motorist’s body continues moving forward at the speed the car was traveling until the seatbelt snaps them back against the seat. According to crash force calculations, a 125-pound person becomes a 4,375-pound force in an accident at only 35 miles per hour. The same person becomes a 10,000-pound force in a collision at 80 miles per hour. When the body faces tremendous pressure in a crash, a collision also occurs inside the body as critical organs and bones collide while the body suffers blunt force trauma from the seatbelt and inward collapse of the car’s structure at the impact point.
The force of a speeding car not only increases the crash force impact on those inside the car but also escalates the power of the impact on those in a secondary vehicle involved in a collision.
What Types of Car Accidents are Caused by Speeding?
Speeding makes a car more difficult to control and delays the car’s ability to come to a stop when the driver applies the brakes. Common types of speeding accidents in Austin and elsewhere include the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents
- Sideswipes
- Head-on collisions on curves
- Rollover accidents
- Roadway departures
Speeding and distracted driving are an especially deadly combination, often ending in devastating accidents and tragedy for other motorists involved in a collision as well as for the at-fault driver.
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer In Austin Help?
Car accidents in Austin or elsewhere are terrifying and traumatic experiences. Often, the distress continues for car accident survivors as they are forced to navigate a complex legal process to make a compelling case for the speeding driver’s liability against insurance companies that often protect their profits at the injury victim’s expense. Call the Austin motor vehicle accident lawyers at Shaw Cowart LLP for experienced representation in your claim.