Speeding in Texas is the #1 Cause of Serious Injuries on Our Roads
If you get hit by someone driving over the speed limit or too fast for the road conditions, you are entitled to receive compensation. This unfortunately happens far too often. We in the Lone Star State experienced a startling 163,000 crashes, 6,500 serious injuries, and over 1,500 deaths in 2021 due to drivers who couldn’t slow down. Speeding in Texas has become the biggest safety issue on our state’s roads.
This is not a minor concern since car wrecks can leave you with enormous medical bills, sizeable lost wages, severe physical pain and mental anguish, and disability. In tragic cases, car accidents even bring about the death of a loved one. You deserve justice from the irresponsible driver who was traveling too quickly.
If they have the need for speed, they should get a job as a race car driver at the Texas Motor Speedway.
But this is commonplace. 90% of people admitted that they speed — and yet 80% acknowledged how dangerous this was.
How Speeding in Texas Leads to Crashes
According to the National Safety Council, about 30% of fatal crashes involve drivers who go too fast. The NSC also reported that speed-related deaths have recently increased. This is a tragic situation that affects everyone. Thousands of Texans have died because of an easily avoidable practice.
Driving too quickly increases the risk of crashes, injuries, and deaths in a number of ways. They are caused by
Increased stopping distance: It takes over the length of a football field for the average car traveling at 30 mph to stop completely, compared to just only about 65 yards for the average car traveling at 20 mph.
Less time for reaction: The faster a car is traveling, the less time a driver has to respond appropriately when they become aware of a hazard.
Loss of control: Drivers are much more likely to lose control of their cars and trucks when they are driving too fast, even in good weather.
Increased impact: A car traveling at 30 mph is twice as likely to kill a pedestrian it hits as the same car traveling at 20 mph.
Speeding in Texas is more than just driving at an arbitrary limit. Going 30 mph can be too fast in some situations like on a residential street. While the Texas Transportation Code in Section 545.351 sets out the law, every crash is different.
State Police Are Cracking Down
This is why the Texas Department of Transport launched the Be Safe, Drive Smart campaign. TxDOT started this program to address the issue of avoidable road deaths across the Lone Star State.
The effort will see an increase in the number of law enforcement officers dealing with traffic offenses on Texas roadways from July 14 to July 30. There will be an increased number of citations as law enforcement officials hope to make our roads and highways safer. We hope this raises awareness of this important issue.
It is sad that Texas has not had a day without a road death in the past 22 years – and impossible to think we will ever have one.
Other Risky Behaviors That Cause Accidents on DFW Roads
Though speed is the major risk factor for serious auto accidents, it is by no means the only one.
Here are some of the other reckless driving habits we often see when we are helping our injured clients:
Distracted driving – It has been an alarming problem on our roads. Nine people lose their lives each day due to other drivers doing this.
Drunk and drugged driving – According to the NHTSA, over 13,000 people died in drunk driving incidents in the US in 2021, a huge increase.
Running red lights and stop signs- This is particularly dangerous as it can lead to T-bone crashes which often cause serious injuries.
Speeding and these three behaviors often go hand in hand.
If the Other Driver Was Speeding, Does This Automatically Establish Liability?
Driving too quickly is a negligent act. However, speed alone won’t be enough for you to win your car accident case. Personal injury liability requires four elements to be proven:
Duty of care: All drivers have a duty to behave responsibly on the road and adhere to traffic laws, which includes obeying speed limits.
Breach of duty: Speeding is a clear violation of the driver’s duty of care, as it breaks established traffic rules.
Causation: For negligence to be established, it must be proven that the speeding directly resulted in your collision. If it came about for some other reason, your claim will fail.
Damages: You must have suffered harm, whether physical, emotional, or financial, because of the defendant’s actions.
For an insurance claim or lawsuit, while speeding is a violation of traffic laws, it does not automatically amount to negligence. It can be hard to prove in court unless steps are taken immediately after the collision.
The other driver (and their insurance company) often denies that he or she was speeding, so immediate investigation and proof are critical.
How Can You Win Your Case?
A thorough and professional investigation is necessary to secure critical documents. These include the following:
- police report
- officer’s notes
- photographs of the scene and vehicles
- witness statements
- measurements of skid marks and gouges in the pavement
- video cameras in cars and outside
- background check of the other driver
- Internet searches including their criminal records
- black box downloads and expert accident reconstruction in some cases
It is not enough to just guess how fast you think the other driver may have been going.
Contact Our Fort Worth Car Accident Lawyer if You Need Help
Speeding in Texas places everyone’s lives in jeopardy. If you have fallen victim to someone else’s reckless driving, you should discuss your situation with a good personal injury attorney ASAP.
Bill Berenson has 42 years of experience successfully representing thousands of car accident clients. He knows how to build a strong case to get the biggest possible settlements or verdicts. He has over 600 5-star reviews on Google and other sites.
Call us today at 817-885-8000 or fill out the contact form on our website to arrange a free initial consultation.