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When Speeding Gets Out of Control

By Grant Law Office on October 21, 2020

When first learning to drive, we were all taught to obey all traffic laws, especially the speed limit. But as drivers get older and become more experienced, many choose to push against speed limits or brazenly break the limit altogether. But those speed limits are not just random, arbitrary numbers. They are designed to protect everyone on the road, as any high-speed collision could be absolutely devastating.

The Dangers of Speeding

Breaking the speed limit in any way is considered illegal in Georgia. Even going 60 mph in a 55-mph zone is considered speeding. However, there are many people who go upwards of 20 or 30 mph faster than the limit allows. This kind of high-speed driving is incredibly dangerous. Drivers need a certain amount of time to properly react to danger. When driving, danger could be other vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles in the road, sudden turns, or even intersections. If a driver travels at a high speed, they will limit the amount of time they have to react to sudden changes on the road, such as a merging motorcycle.

On top of that, cars need time to slow down. Even when a driver slams on the brakes, a car is not going to come to an immediate stop and will need several seconds to slow down. While that may not sound like a lot of time, at a high speed that can amount to hundreds of feet. At 60 mph, a car travels roughly 88 feet per second. That means, even if it only takes a car three seconds to fully stop, it could travel up to 260 feet, and that is only at 60 mph, which is well within a standard speed limit on a highway. At 70, 80, or even 90 mph, the amount of time needed to stop rises drastically. Combine that with a limited reaction time, and a driver could easily cause a collision at high speeds.

The Risk of High-Speed Accidents

While it is possible to get to a destination without hurting anyone while speeding, if a driver does end up colliding with another vehicle or an object in the road, the impact will be devastating. Low-speed collisions are much more likely to be low impact. This is because there is very little energy involved, which can limit the severity of a driver’s injuries. However, high-speed collisions involve a great deal of energy and are rarely ever minor.

During a collision, our bodies have to absorb the forward momentum of our vehicles. If a driver rear-ends you at 80 mph, then that energy will pass through your vehicle into your body. While crumple zones, seatbelts, and airbags can minimize the trauma you experience, you will likely suffer a serious injury all because a driver was speeding. The human body is not designed to take high levels of impact, and so when it is forced to during an auto accident, there can be serious ramifications.

The Consequences of Speeding

An accident caused by speeding can be devastating, both in terms of property damage done to your vehicle and your body. High-speed collisions mean high-speed impacts. That sort of accident could easily lead to:

The faster the collision, the more likely it is to result in catastrophic injuries. Sadly, many people these days speed, assuming it’s a crime with no victims. People are in a rush, trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. What these people may not realize is that the moment they slip up, which is inevitable, they can cause extreme devastation, not just to themselves, but to those around them as well.

If you were injured by a speeding driver, Grant Law Office may be able to provide the legal guidance you need right now. We understand just how traumatizing a high-speed accident can be, and we have long dedicated ourselves to helping accident victims recover compensation after a collision. Our legal team can represent you in an auto accident claim against the at-fault drivers and advocate for proper compensation. For professional legal aid from expert Atlanta car accident attorneys, contact us either online or by calling our office at (404) 995-3955 today.