Driving over the speed limit increases a person’s chance of being involved in an auto accident. Speeding also causes serious injuries and even fatalities. Across the United States, approximately 10,000 people die each year from car accidents due to speeding. Moreover, fatalities from speeding-related traffic accidents comprise a third of all deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
The car accident attorneys at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates reviewed the recently released National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior. The survey is the third conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.) The purpose of the survey is to provide information regarding American drivers’ behavior and attitudes toward speeding.
Speeding Survey Results
Male drivers reported speeding with more frequency than their female counterparts. Overall, the group at the greatest risk of getting into an auto accident from driving at excessive speeds is inexperienced drivers. Eleven percent of 16-20 year olds surveyed indicated that they had been involved in a minimum of one speeding-related traffic accident in the previous five years. This is almost three times higher than the rest of the nation’s reported four percent for the same period of time. And some of the less experienced drivers haven’t even been driving for a total of five years!
Safer Driver Practices
The national NHTSA survey’s overall goal is to gather data that can be used to reduce the dangerous practice of speeding and prevent auto accidents. In fact, nearly half of the survey participants (48%) indicated feeling very strongly that something must be done to reduce speeding in the U.S.
In order to avoid the safety risks associated with excessive speed, there are some basic safety practices that drivers can employ. First and foremost, obey the speed limit because it’s the law. When weather conditions are poor, reduce your speed to allow for safer driving and uncertain road conditions. Observing the speed limit, allocating ample time to arrive at your destination safely and adhering to traffic laws decreases the chances of getting into an auto accident.
Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates: Advocating for Victims of Speeding Accidents
If you’ve been involved in an auto accident due to another driver’s excessive speeding or other negligence, contact our accident lawyers today at 215-567-6600 for a free consultation or submit an online inquiry. We respond promptly 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
Our offices are conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Voorhees, New Jersey to assist clients throughout Southeast Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, including Philadelphia County, Bucks County, Montgomery County, Chester County and Delaware County.