Speeding remains one of the top causes of motor vehicle accidents in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding caused nearly 9,400 fatalities in 2018. That’s nearly triple the deaths caused by distracted driving that same year.
Speeding makes all aspects of driving more hazardous. The faster you go, the less time there is to react to something in front of you. Speeding makes it more difficult to handle your vehicle, and increases the risk of losing control of the vehicle. Speeding reduces the effectiveness of safety equipment, such as seatbelts. A crash at high speeds is more catastrophic, causes more damage, and tends to result in more severe physical injuries than a crash at slower speeds.
It is an unfortunate fact that you can’t stop other motorists from speeding or otherwise driving recklessly. But you can act responsibly to avoid speeding when you drive. Here are the factors that may be under your control, and that tend to contribute to speeding:
- Your commuting schedule. Leaving at the last second tends to lead to speeding. Feeling rushed on your commute is the surest way to make cramming on that gas pedal more enticing.
- What time you start getting ready to leave. Rushing to get ready in the morning is the foundation for a rushed commute. Try to build extra time into your morning so you feel prepared for the drive ahead of you.
- Your patience with traffic. Oftentimes motorists will speed once they have been freed from a gridlock, to try to make up time. This is never a good idea. Even though it’s frustrating that the traffic jam held you up, it’s not worth it to speed once things get moving.
- Keeping a calm, level head behind the wheel. You may be more likely to speed if you are upset, angry, frustrated, or otherwise not calm and collected. Take a deep breath and try to maintain composure.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, then you may be able to pursue maximum compensation in a claim handled by an experienced accident attorney. Please search our directory to find a lawyer near you.
