Speeding in any form is dangerous however it happens. Disregarding posted speed limits, drag racing, trying not to be stuck at a red light, and driving too quickly for current weather and roadway conditions all contribute to Riverside car accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The California Highway Patrol report that speeding is the second most common causes of car accidents. In 2018, the NHTSA reported 9,378 people died from speeding and it contributed to 26% of all the nation’s fatal traffic accidents. Though there are laws regulating speed limits to protect motorists and their occupants, people endanger public safety far too often by disregarding them. This sort of negligent behavior may allow you to recover compensation for your injuries, so if you’re involved in a car accident involving speeding you should contact an experienced Riverside speeding collision attorney.
Does Speeding Increase the Risk of Accidents and Injuries?
People speed for a variety of reasons – attempting to escape traffic, running late for an important appointment, or simply just a disregard for posted speed limits and the safety of themselves and others, speeding greatly increases the risk of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. It’s been shown that an increase of speed affects safe vehicle operation and means that drivers:
- Have less time to react,
- Don’t get as much benefit from protection equipment designed to keep them safe,
- Need more distance to full stop a vehicle,
- Have a greater risk to lose control of their vehicle, and
- Don’t have as much time to identify hazards and act evasively or defensively.
Additionally, speeding increases the severity of any accident that occurs because of the additional force of impact when at the time of the crash. Studies show that even a mere 5-mile-per-hour increase in the speed limit increases crash fatalities by 8%. This puts anyone involved in a speeding collision at greater risk for severe injuries and death.
Speeding Collision Risk Factors
Riverside has its fair share of serious accidents due to speeding. Close to the bustling 15 freeway in Riverside County and near to several major metro areas, the California Office of Traffic Safety reported 2,119 injuries and fatalities in 2017 alone in the city – 342 were directly attributed to excessive speed. The number of visitors, commuters, and residents going about daily life mean there is a large population in the area at risk of being in a collision due to negligent behavior like excessive speed.
How Do I Win My Case?
If you’ve been injured because someone was driving too fast, it’s normal that you want compensation for the damage done. In California, victims usually seek recovery in the courts by filing a civil lawsuit for damages claiming they were injured due to someone’s negligent behavior. and claiming they deserve an award for injuries inflicted due to someone else’s negligence. If you can establishing that a defendant owed you a duty of care, breached it through an act or an omission, and the breach resulted in your harms, they will be held negligent and liable for your damages without a valid legal defense.
In California, victims may also prove liability through negligence per se – creating a presumption they someone acted negligently and caused injury by breaking a rule, regulation, or a designed to protect people. When car accidents happen, negligence can be established if a traffic law such as the speed limit was broken. Though it may seem difficult to prove, evidence such as traffic camera footage, eyewitness accounts, police reports, and skid marks at the scene of the accident can all help establish that someone acted negligently.
What Can I Recover for My Injuries?
Once you’ve established that someone’s negligent behavior caused your injuries, you may be entitled to an award of damages for harm you can prove in court. Though nothing will erase the harm you’ve endured, a compensatory damage award is intended to try and make you whole. Courts may award victims damages for both concrete physical and financial harm as well as emotional and mental trauma resulting from your Riverside speeding collision. You may be entitled to damages such as medical bills, future medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, funeral or burial costs, and pain and suffering.
In some cases, a wrongdoer’s behavior may be so vile and reprehensible that victims may be entitled to punitive damages to punish the defendant’s conduct and deter its repetition. Though these discretionary awards can be large, it’s difficult to satisfy the high burden of proof to qualify and advisable to work with a skilled Riverside speeding collision attorney to avoid missteps.
Speak to an Attorney
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident where excessive speed may have been a contributing factor, you’re aware how damaging someone’s bad decision can be to your health, your finances, and your emotional well-being. To make sure you’re taking all the right steps to maximize your chance of recovery, contact the skilled Riverside speeding accident attorneys at Walton Law, APCtoday. Our attorneys have spent years delivering comprehensive, aggressive representation for victims like you and recovering millions of dollars in damages to compensate for their injuries. Contact us today to schedule your no risk, no obligation initial case consultation. The confidential evaluation is free, and you pay nothing until we win your case. We are available to set up your appointment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (866)-338-7079 or through our online Contact Page. Let our attorneys your situation and use our knowledge and resources to fight for you to obtain the best possible outcome from this unfortunate, avoidable accident.