If you encounter a speeding driver, their erratic behavior could shock you. Whether they drive behind you too closely or swerve into your lane, you might have difficulty avoiding a collision. Drivers speed for a variety of reasons, from running late for work to illegal racing.
Tragically, this reckless behavior accounts for a lot of fatal traffic accidents and turns the lives of many injured victims upside down. It is essential to understand how speeding affects driving and the prevalence of these accidents.
How does speeding impact driving abilities?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding can increase the probability of a traffic collision in different ways. For example, when a driver speeds, it can take more time to come to a stop. In addition, pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers can have difficulty judging a speeding driver’s distance accurately. When someone speeds, they become less capable of avoiding unexpected curves, hazards on the road and other vehicles.
What are the consequences of driving too fast?
In 2021, speeding claimed the lives of over 12,300 people. Sadly, this represents an 8% increase in comparison to 2020. Speeding also played a role in 29% of traffic accident deaths that same year.
Aside from deadly accidents, speeding also causes many people to suffer serious injuries. At high speeds, protective equipment becomes less effective and the chances of suffering a severe injury increase. Regrettably, some drivers ignore these risks and cause devastating accidents as a result of failure to stay within the speed limit.
