Speeding Accidents in Colorado

Denver Speeding Accident Attorney

Accidents while driving on the road happen all the time for a variety of different reasons. Sometimes, it’s an unpreventable occurrence—a no-fault accident that would have been impossible to predict. Other times, it’s the result of a completely controllable act of negligence, like speeding.

Speeding is one of the most common causes of car accidents today. The chances are high that if you’ve been involved in a car accident, speeding was one of the factors at play. At The Law Offices of Dianne L. Sawaya LLC, our car accident injury attorneys know that these types of crashes can end up as mild fender benders, but they can also wind up being serious accidents that result in severe personal injuries and property damage.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding is one of the most common factors for car accidents, and it is also one of the most expensive mistakes that drivers make. The NHTSA defines a crash to be speeding-related if “the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash.” In fact, NHTSA data from 2012 shows the following statistics:

• Speeding was a factor in at least 30 percent of all vehicle crashes.
• The cost of these crashes for the U.S. economy during 2012 was at least $40.4 billion.
• Crashes resulting from speeding ended with 10,219 fatalities in 2012.
• Speeding is believed to be the cause of about one-third of all auto accident-related deaths.
• Speeding can play a role no matter the conditions of the road. In 2012, twenty percent of dry road, 23 percent of wet road, 36 percent of snowy road, and 44 percent of icy road fatal crashes were impacted by speeding.
• Almost half (47 percent) of speeding occurs on roads where the posted speed limit is 50 mph or less.

While death is, of course, the greatest risk when it comes to driving too fast, there are a variety of other injuries that one can sustain. Broken and fractured bones, whiplash, lacerations, and post traumatic stress are some other common results of speeding accidents.

These kinds of injuries don’t just damage you directly but can have long-term effects on your life and livelihood. Depending on the type of job you have, an accident could cause you to miss time at work. In some severe cases, serious injuries could even prevent you from being able to do the same job ever again.

Speeding also adds a great deal of unnecessary wear-and-tear to your vehicle that could result in other mechanical failures and expenses down the line. Speeding costs you at the gas pump alone. Gasoline prices increase dramatically for every five miles per hour you drive over 60-mph.

Paying attention to your driving is only half the battle, though. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, you can only control your own actions, and other people will inevitably speed past you all the time. This is why good defensive driving tactics are important to learn and follow in order to protect yourself when those around you make poor choices. It also will help ensure that you’re not held responsible for a crash that was the result of someone else’s negligent speeding.

Courts in this country were established for these very principles. Suing someone and getting involved in the legal process might not be the most appealing option for many, but it’s one of the only means citizens have to get the compensation they deserve after being hurt by another driver’s reckless speeding.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident that was caused by another driver’s speeding, the experienced injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Dianne L. Sawaya LLC are here to help. The days immediately following an accident can leave you shaken up and in shock. Our Denver, Colorado, attorneys can help you pursue an injury lawsuit while providing a comforting and compassionate environment. For more information about how our legal team can assist you after an accident, call our Denver office today at (303) 758-4777.