People often act like speeding doesn’t really matter. When they get pulled over, they’re frustrated that they have to pay a fine, but they still speed again. They don’t really think it’s a big issue.
If you have these speeding drivers flying by you all the time, though, you probably feel a bit nervous. And you’re right to feel that way. There are two reasons why speeding really does matter and why it can contribute to accidents.
Reducing reaction times
First and foremost, someone who is speeding has less time to react to than someone who is driving at the speed limit. This is true no matter what the speed limit is on that specific road. You can’t predict or anticipate everything. If someone is breaking the speed limit and something unexpected occurs ahead of them, but they are more likely to be involved in an accident. Even if they try to blame the other driver, the truth is that they may have been able to avoid that crash if they were just driving at a reasonable rate.
Increasing the severity of injuries
Secondly, when an accident does happen, speed can make the injuries more severe. It’s one of the most important factors in any accident, along with things like the mass of the vehicle. The faster that the vehicles are traveling, the more force is applied to the people in those vehicles, and the more severe their injuries will be.
Seeking compensation
If one of these speeding drivers injures you in a car accident, make sure you know how to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and other costs.