Increase in Car Accidents Linked to Speeding

Why Does Speed Contribute to Car Accidents?

There are many ways that speeding contributes to traffic accidents. A speeding driver can make a car accident more likely to occur. It can also make a crash more severe than it might be if drivers were driving at posted speed limits. Here are some of the ways that speeding can cause a car accident:

High speed lowers reaction time

When a driver speeds, they have less time to react to sudden events on the road. At a high speed, there’s less time for a driver to react when a motorist cuts them off or when an animal runs into the street. High speeds often leave less room for following distance between vehicles and the vehicles ahead. Speeding makes traffic crashes more likely to occur.

Speeders often travel outside of the flow of traffic

Most drivers don’t speed. Because only a few drivers speed, these drivers are often traveling much faster than the flow of traffic. Speeders can create a hazard because they’re moving much more quickly than those around them.

Roads are designed for the speed of travel

A road is designed for safe operation at set speeds. A road that has stop signs, turns and corners is created for travel at reasonable speeds given the conditions of the road. Engineers who design the roads assume that motorists are going to travel at speed limits. When drivers speed, they’re more likely to fail to negotiate a corner or lose control of their vehicle.

Roads are made for the direction of travel

The highest speeds are reserved for freeways. On a freeway, all of the traffic travels in the same direction. There’s a lot of space or even a barrier between lanes of travel in opposite directions. Slower-moving roads often have traffic that travels in opposite directions with only a line to separate paths of travel. When motorists travel at high speed on roads that aren’t designed for freeway travel, serious crashes can occur.

Accidents at high speeds are more serious than they might be at speed limits

When accidents occur, they’re more likely to be serious when they happen at high speeds. A traffic crash that may not produce injuries at 30 miles an hour may produce fatalities if it occurs at 50 miles an hour. In head-on collisions, the speed of the drivers is multiplied because the vehicles collide at the speed of travel in opposite directions. Speeding not only makes accidents more likely to occur but it makes accidents more severe and more likely to produce injuries or fatalities.

Is Speeding a Misdemeanor or a Civil Infraction in Nevada?

In Nevada, a speeding ticket can be a misdemeanor or a civil infraction. In most cases, it comes down to how much over the speed limit you’re going. If you’re only a small amount over the speed limit, your offense may be just a civil infraction. If you’re going significantly over the speed limit, your speeding charge may be a misdemeanor. In very serious cases, you may even face a charge of reckless driving. In addition to a ticket or misdemeanor charge, the penalties for speeding may include higher insurance rates, loss of your driver’s license or even jail time.

What does a Las Vegas, NV speeding ticket cost?

The standard fine for a speeding ticket in Las Vegas, NV is $205. Going 1-10 MPH over the speed limit is a $145 fine, driving 11-20 MPH over the limit is $195, 21-30 MPH over the limit is $215 and 31-40 mph over the limit is $305. Outside of Las Vegas, the fines vary. For example, the City of Reno fines $115 for speeding up to 10 MPH over the limit, $170 for speeding 11-19 MPH over the limit, and $220 for speeding 20 MPH or more over the limit.

Related: Does the Way You Drive Increase Your Risk for an Accident?

You May Have a Right to Recovery If You’re Hurt in a Speeding-Related Crash

If the other side receives a speeding ticket after a Nevada traffic accident, you might think that’s the end of the story. But a speeding ticket and a financial recovery for the victim of a car accident are two different things. If you’re hurt because of a speeding driver, you may deserve financial compensation for your injuries and property damages. Financial recovery for your personal injury claim is different and in addition to the speeding driver getting a ticket from a police officer. You can claim compensation for your losses through Nevada personal injury law.

Speeding Is a Form of Negligence

To win compensation after a car accident, you must show that the other driver acted negligently. Negligence is a failure to use reasonable care and caution. It’s based on what a reasonable person should do in the same circumstance. Since most people don’t speed, a speeding driver is almost always a negligent driver. You can use the driver’s speed to show that they’re a negligent driver under Nevada personal injury law.

How Do You Tell If Someone Was Speeding in a Car Accident?

To determine if someone is speeding in a car accident, you can ask witnesses for observations. You can look at the location of damage on vehicles and the location of debris on the roads. Skid marks can also be an indication of whether speeding led to the crash. All of these factors can be indicators of how the accident occurred and whether a speeding driver contributed to the crash.

How Our Car Accident Attorneys in Las Vegas Can Help

Have you been hurt in a car accident? Do you think that the other driver may have been speeding? Do you have injuries, property damage or both? Our Las Vegas injury attorneys can help.

We can help you investigate your case to determine if speed was a factor in the accident. We can help you determine if you qualify to claim compensation for your losses. Call us today to immediately connect with an experienced member of our legal team.

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