It is well known that speeding can make an accident worse. Accidents at higher speeds tend to result in more severe injuries. The odds of fatalities are also higher. A high-speed crash simply means that there is more energy and a greater amount of force enacted on the people within the car. Speed is often a very good indicator of whether or not an accident will be serious and lead to catastrophic injuries.
But can speed also cause the accident to occur? Or does it just change the severity?
Reduced reaction times
There are certainly ways in which speed itself can cause accidents. One is that it reduces the amount of reaction time that the driver has. If they’re traveling above the speed limit, they may still see a hazard in front of them and try to apply the brakes, but it’s just physically impossible to stop the car that quickly
Additionally, speeding can cause someone to lose control of the vehicle. Many accidents with young drivers happen when they carry too much speed into a turn or a corner. This can cause the vehicle to leave the roadway or even roll. Speed-related accidents are most common with taller vehicles, which have a higher center of gravity and are more likely to overturn.
Seeking financial compensation
Knowing all of this, you may follow the speed limit perfectly as often as you can, seeking to drive safely day in and day out. But you could still be injured by another negligent driver who perhaps doesn’t realize how their speed is impacting their driving ability. If they cause an accident, then you need to know how to seek financial compensation.
