Speeding is a major factor in most auto accidents. In fact, speed and the likelihood of an accident are strongly correlated. For example, a driver’s speed—relative to the surrounding mass of traffic—causes an obvious increase in danger, seeing as how it’s impossible that other motorists be forewarned of the speeding vehicle in question.
Furthermore, common human reflexes simply don’t allow for reckless, unexpected speeding. The faster a car is driving, the less time a driver—regardless of whether he or she be driving at a safe speed—has to react.
Utah has recently raised the speed on its highways from 65 to 70 miles per hour. Relatively speaking, this now means Utah has one of the higher highway speed limits in the nation. However, studies show that increases in speed limit do not have a large effect on the overall speed of drivers on the same road.
Still, auto accidents that occur at a higher speed have a higher fatality rate. This has to do with the fact that when high-velocity objects crash into each other, a huge amount of kinetic energy is displaced in a matter of seconds.
The respective velocities reached by speeding cars are far beyond anything a human’s body is capable of absorbing without damage. Although car technology has come a long way in saving lives, it’s still important to drive at both a reasonable and safe speed.
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car accident, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We offer free consultations for all personal injury cases, including those caused by thoughtless speeding.