San Diego Speeding Accident Lawyer

Despite expensive traffic citations, speeding remains a common problem among drivers on the roads in San Diego and throughout California. According to the National Safety Council, about 29% of traffic accidents with fatalities in 2022 were caused by speeding, or speeding played a significant role in the accident or the severity of injuries. Exceeding the posted speed limit not only escalates the chances of an accident but also increases the severity of injuries. The crash force of a collision increases in power for every mile per hour of speed, putting the body through greater trauma as it’s propelled forward against the seatbelt at the same time that the vehicle collapses inward at the collision point.

Why Is Speeding Such a Common Problem in San Diego and Elsewhere?

Many drivers admit that they exceed the speed limit because they feel confident in their driving skills. Being inside a vehicle brings drivers a sense of anonymity, making them feel free to speed or drive aggressively. The most common reasons cited for speeding include:

• Running late for work, school, or appointments
• Trying to get ahead of an area of congested traffic
• Distracted driving may cause a driver to be unaware that they are increasing their speed
• Lack of adequate signage on the road
• Failing to notice a speed limit change

Some drivers enjoy the feeling of power speeding brings them particularly those with sports cars, but the most common reason for speeding is simple impatience and the wish to reach a destination faster.

How Does Speeding Cause Accidents?

When city road planners and state government agencies set speed limits, it’s after careful studies of the terrain and traffic conditions of an area. Exceeding the speed limit is unsafe for that portion of the roadway. Speeding causes accidents due to the reduced ability to control the vehicle, less stability around curves, longer stopping times, and reduced tire traction. Vehicles are not as easily maneuverable at high speeds and are more prone to sliding, tipping, and rolling over. Accidents caused by speeding drivers include rear-end collisions, rollovers, head-on collisions around sharp curves, T-bone accidents, sideswipes, and roadway departures. All of the accidents result in injuries that become more severe at higher speeds.

How Does Speed Increase Injuries?

Not only does speeding increase the likelihood of a car accident, but it also substantially increases the severity of injuries in the crash. A crash force calculator highlights the way speed amplifies the trauma in an accident. A 125-pound person becomes a 4,375-pound forward force in a collision at only 35 miles per hour. That same person at 65 miles per hour is an 8,125-pound force propelled against the seat belt—or worse—against the dash or windshield in those who aren’t properly retrained. Crash force in an accident causes serious trauma, resulting in injuries such as fractures, traumatic brain injuries, back and neck injuries, internal organ damage, soft-tissue injuries, and spinal cord damage.

How Does Speeding In San Diego Impact Liability In a Car Accident?

Not only does speeding cause accidents and increase injuries, but it also leaves the driver at fault, or partly at fault for an accident, depending on the circumstances. In a comparison negligence insurance state like California, even if another driver caused the accident, an insurer could assign a portion of fault to an injury victim if they were speeding at the time the accident occurred.

How Can a San Diego Car Accident Attorney Help?

It often takes a skilled investigation and careful documentation of evidence to make a claim for full compensation from an at-fault driver’s insurance after a car accident. Instead of navigating a complex car accident claim while also dealing with injuries, call the car accident lawyers in San Diego who are ready to focus on your financial recovery so you can concentrate on your physical recovery.