When a semi-truck is traveling too fast for conditions, the results can be catastrophic. Due to their size and weight, commercial trucks require significantly longer stopping distances than passenger vehicles. When truck drivers speed, the risk of severe or fatal crashes increases dramatically. At the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya, we fight for Denver accident victims who have been injured by reckless or speeding truck drivers.
The Dangers of Speeding Semi-Trucks
Semi-trucks can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. At highway speeds, that much force creates a devastating impact in a collision. Speeding makes these dangers worse by:
- Reducing Stopping Distance: A truck traveling at 65 mph needs nearly two football fields to stop. At higher speeds, the stopping distance becomes even longer.
- Increasing Crash Severity: The faster the truck, the more force transferred in a collision, often leading to catastrophic injuries.
- Decreasing Reaction Time: Drivers traveling at unsafe speeds have less time to react to traffic signals, road hazards, or sudden slowdowns.
- Causing Rollover or Jackknife Accidents: Excessive speed around curves or in poor weather often leads to loss of control.
When truck drivers or companies ignore safe speed limits, innocent people pay the price.
Speed and Injury Severity
The speed of a semi-truck at the time of collision has a direct impact on the severity of injuries:
- Low-Speed Impact: Even at 25 mph, a fully loaded semi-truck can cause serious back, neck, and brain injuries.
- Highway-Speed Impact: At 65–75 mph, accidents often result in fatalities, amputations, or permanent disability.
- Vulnerable Road Users: Pedestrians, cyclists, and smaller passenger vehicles are at the greatest risk when struck by a speeding semi-truck.
Understanding the role of speed is vital in determining the damages a victim may be entitled to recover.
How Speed Affects Liability in Truck Crash Cases
Speeding is considered negligence, but proving it in a truck accident claim requires investigation. Liability may involve:
- Truck Drivers: If the driver exceeded posted speed limits or drove too fast for conditions.
- Trucking Companies: If company policies encouraged unrealistic delivery schedules that forced drivers to speed.
- Vehicle Manufacturers: If faulty brakes or other mechanical failures contributed to the inability to slow down.
Evidence such as black box data, dashcam footage, skid marks, and witness testimony can be used to show that speed was a factor in the crash.
The Claim Process After a Speeding Truck Accident
If you have been injured in a speeding truck accident in Denver, here are key steps to protect your rights:
- Seek Immediate Medical Care: Document all injuries, no matter how minor they may seem.
- Report the Crash: Ensure law enforcement responds and files a report noting potential speeding.
- Preserve Evidence: Photographs, vehicle damage, and roadway conditions may prove speed was involved.
- Work With an Attorney: Trucking companies have powerful insurers; you need an advocate to protect your claim.
The Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya has decades of experience handling complex trucking cases, including those involving speeding violations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Speeding Truck Accidents
How do I prove a truck driver was speeding?
Evidence such as the truck’s electronic logging device (ELD), black box data, dashcam video, skid marks, and eyewitness accounts can establish speed at the time of the crash.
Are trucking companies liable if their driver was speeding?
Yes, in many cases. Companies may be held responsible if they fail to properly train their drivers, ignore safety regulations, or impose delivery schedules that encourage speeding.
Do speeding truck accident claims have different deadlines in Colorado?
Most truck accident claims follow Colorado’s standard statute of limitations for personal injury. However, exceptions may apply if government entities are involved.
What compensation can I recover after a speeding truck crash?
You may be entitled to medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages designed to punish reckless behavior.
Why Choose the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya
Dianne Sawaya has built her career standing up to powerful trucking companies and their insurers. We combine aggressive legal strategies with compassionate client service, ensuring you are supported every step of the way. Our Denver-based team knows how to hold negligent drivers and companies accountable for the harm caused by speeding trucks.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a speeding semi-truck in Denver, don’t wait. Contact the Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya today for a free consultation and let us help you pursue the compensation you deserve.