Deadly traffic accidents are often the result of preventable driver negligence. In many cases, in fact, the driver negligence that contributes to fatal auto collisions involves breaking traffic laws and, more specifically, speeding.
To shed some light on the impacts that speeding has on roadway safety, below, we’ll reveal some important facts and data that regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) have found in regards to speeding and deadly traffic accidents.
The Deadly Impacts of Speeding
1 – Speeding is a factor in about 1 in every 3 fatal traffic accidents.
about speeding and fatal traffic accidents,
citing some important NHTSA data. Contact
us if you’ve been harmed by driver
negligence.
In fact, the NHTSA has found that speeding contributes to about 30 percent of all deadly car accidents and that it:
- Has resulted more than 10,200 people to lose their lives (in 2012, the most recent year for which data is currently available)
- Results in more than $40 billion in socio-economic costs annually
- Has been an increasing in recent years, jumping up about 2 percent over the past few years.
2 – Young male motorists are most often involved in speeding-related fatal accidents.
What the NHTSA has also found is that, in fatal accidents, about 37 percent of male motorists younger than 24 were speeding immediately prior to the collision. In contrast, about 22 percent of female motorists in the same age group were speeding immediately prior to fatal accidents.
As motorists age, the likelihood that speeding is a factor in deadly accidents steadily decreases, dropping off to about 23 percent and 15 percent for male and female motorists (respectively) who are between 35 and 44 years old (and continuing to drop with increasing age).
3 – Alcohol impairment is often a factor in speeding-related fatal collisions.
While speeding itself is a form of driver negligence, tragically, it also commonly comes with other forms of driver negligence – particularly intoxication. In fact, the NHTSA has found that, when drivers speed and cause fatal accidents, about 42 percent of the time these motorists are also impaired by alcohol, having BACs of at least 0.08.
In contrast, for drivers who don’t speed and cause fatal accidents, alcohol impairment is involved about 16 percent of the time – about one-third less often.
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Contact a St Louis Car Accident Attorney at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
If you have been hurt in a traffic accident caused by any type of driver negligence, contact the St Louis car accident attorney at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting. Our goal is to preserve and promote the rights and welfare of individuals and families who have suffered injuries and losses and/or who need help navigating the complexities of the legal system.
To learn more about how we can help you, attend a free, no obligations initial consult with one of our attorneys. You can schedule this meeting by calling us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
