Michigan Attorneys for Speeding Accidents
Speeding is a common factor in many traffic accidents. Most of us have witnessed drivers who rush through city or neighborhood streets and drivers who seem to fly down the interstate or highway because they are traveling at such high rates of speed. We usually shake our heads or ignore these drivers as they speed past us leaving us far behind. However, what happens when a speeding driver hits your car?
Speeding Accidents are Fatal
Speeding at the time of a car crash increases the risk of fatal injuries and serious injuries. When a driver exceeds the speed limit, the driver places his life and the lives of all others on the road in danger. Of the 37,461 traffic fatalities in 2016, 27 percent of those crashes involved at least one driver who was speeding. Nationwide in 2016, deaths in speeding accidents increased by four percent from 2015. The Michigan State Police report that speeding too fast was a factor in approximately 6% of the total traffic accidents in 2016. Speeding accidents resulted in 194 deaths and 7,157 injuries in 2016. During 2017, speeding too fast was also a factor in approximately 6% of the traffic accidents statewide. The number of deaths from speed-related accidents fell slightly in 2017 to 161 fatalities, and injuries in speeding accidents decreased to 6,885.
Even though there was a slight reduction in the number of deaths caused by speeding accidents, even one death is one too many. Speeding is a driving behavior that can be controlled. Drivers who exceed speed limits or drive too fast for conditions choose to do so. They choose to put themselves and others at risk. Therefore, when a driver causes a speeding accident, that driver can and should be held liable for damages caused by the crash. The Michigan speeding accident attorneys of The Clark Law Office at 517-347-6900 to schedule a free legal consultation.
Speeding Accidents Can Be Prevented
One definition of “accident” is an event that happens by chance or without deliberate or apparent cause. However, speeding accidents do not happen by chance and they do have an apparent cause. When a driver exceeds the speeding limit, that driver puts himself and others at serious risk. Speeding accidents are preventable, but negligent drivers do not appear to be concerned with the safety of others. Their negligent and reckless behavior exhibits their disregard for the safety of others. The easiest way to avoid a speeding accident is to obey the posted speed limits. Other ways to avoid a speeding accident include:
The NHTSA provides additional information about how to avoid a speeding accident and how to deal with aggressive and speeding drivers on its website.
Speed Impacts the Severity of a Traffic Accident
Speed can impact the severity of injuries sustained in a traffic accident. An increase in the speed of a vehicle by just one mile per hour increases the risk of an accident involving injuries by three percent and an accident involving death by four to five percent. When a vehicle is traveling at about 50 mph, the risk of death in an impact is 20 times higher than when the vehicle is traveling at just under 20 mph. Studies have shown that pedestrians and bicyclists have virtually no chance of survival when a vehicle is traveling at 50 mph at the time of impact.
The IIHS reports that speed has a major impact on crashes and injury severity. When a vehicle is speeding, the driver does not have as long to stop or take evasive action when an emergency is detected. The vehicle takes much longer to stop once the driver applies the brakes when the driver is speeding. Also, because speed increases the crash energy, the victims are likely to suffer traumatic injuries in a speeding accident.
Common Injuries Sustained in a Speeding Accident
For each person who was killed in an accident, eight people were hospitalized for injuries sustained in the accident. In addition, 100 people were treated and released from the emergency department for each person killed in an accident. Unfortunately, some of the injuries sustained in a speeding accident may not be immediately known. Victims should strongly consider seeing their doctor for a full physical examination after a car crash. Some symptoms may not present themselves for a few hours or days following the crash. Victims who do not seek medical treatment could experience life-threatening conditions or suffer a permanent impairment from a delay in medical care. In addition, a delay in medical care could reduce your chance of recovering compensation for your claim. Common injuries victims sustain in speeding accidents include:
Do Not Talk to the Insurance Company Before Talking to a Michigan Speeding Accident Attorney
An insurance adjuster may try to blame you for the speeding accident too. Some insurance companies reduce liability for a speeding accident claim by blaming the victim for contributing to the cause of the accident. Anything you say to the insurance adjuster or provide to the adjuster could be used against you. Therefore, always consult with an Okemos speeding accident attorney before you provide statements or sign releases for the other driver’s insurance provider. You deserve full compensation of all damages sustained because of a speed-related accident. Damages that you may receive compensation for when you file a claim include:
Call now for a free case review to discuss the value of your speeding accident claim. Our Michigan speeding accident attorney can help you file a claim seeking the compensation you deserve after being injured by a negligent and reckless driver.
Contact a Michigan Speeding Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review
Injured victims in Okemos, Lansing and throughout Ingham County can count on the trusted and experienced car accident attorneys of The Clark Law Office to fight for their rights to recover a fair and just settlement for their car accident claim. We fight to ensure that accident victims are not victimized again by insurance companies attempting to undervalue their claims to save money. Call our office at 517-347-6900 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our Michigan attorneys for speeding accidents.