Most drivers are aware that speeding while driving is risky and comes with many consequences. Sometimes, the consequence of excessive speeding is as simple as a costly speeding ticket. Other times, reckless driving results in a car accident that leaves you or someone you love with life-altering injuries.

What is the worst consequence of speeding? If you answered fatalities, you are correct. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 33 percent of fatal crashes result from speeding. Speeding also lands in the number three spot for leading contributing factors for traffic accidents.

If you or someone you love has suffered serious injuries because another motorist who was speeding crashed into your car or someone you loved lost their life, you should contact an experienced Sacramento car accident attorney. 

While there is never a good reason to put yourself and others in the way of jeopardy, there are common reasons people speed. The top reasons people speed include:

• They are in a hurry to get somewhere.
• They are not paying attention to how fast they are traveling.
• They feel like they are above the law or don’t feel like they have to obey the rules of the road.
• They don’t feel like the rate of speed they are traveling is dangerous.
• They think they are safe speeding in a certain area or don’t think they will get pulled over on certain parts of roads or highways.

Typically, in personal injury cases, attorneys agree to advance all of the expenses of taking on the case and will only be repaid if the attorney wins the case for their client. Repayment is usually calculated based on a percentage of the recovered amount. This means that if your attorney does not win your case, you pay them nothing.

When you meet with your attorney for the first time, you will most likely discuss many of the details of your case, including any medical treatment you have sought and how your injuries are affecting your daily life. Providing medical records and a summary of all of the medical treatments you have received to your attorney will be extremely helpful at the initial appointment. If not, a good attorney will obtain everything they need to pursue your case.

See the video below for tips on how to choose a personal injury lawyer for your case:

• Speeding claims 13,000 lives per year
• The NHTSA reports that speeding-related crashes cost more than $40 billion each year
• Most people do not comply with school speeds zones
• Every minute that a driver gains speeding ends up costing the S. over $76,000

Where do people typically speed?

On roads with posted speed limits of 50 mph or less, 47 percent of people typically speed. According to the NHTSA 2006 fatality data, over 20 percent of people speed on roads marked 35 mph or less. That just goes to show you that, despite what most of us would assume, highways are not the most likely places for people to speed.

When is a car accident considered speed-related?

The NHTSA states that a car accident is considered speed-related if one of the drivers is charged with an offense related to their rate of speed. If a police officer indicated that a driver was driving too fast for particular road conditions or racing, the accident would be considered speed-related, too. Finally, if a driver has exceeded the speed limit posted and a collision occurs, the accident could be considered speed-related. Typically, all other factors would be investigated to ensure that speed was the true reason the accident occurred.

Who are the worst speeding offenders?

According to the NHTSA, 39 percent of males aged 15 to 20 were speeding when a fatal car accident occurred.

Do I need an attorney if someone who was speeding causes an accident and I is seriously injured?

The keyword in the question above is serious. If you only suffer minor injuries in a car accident caused by a reckless driver, there is only minor compensation you can recover. However, if your injuries are serious, you will have to endure ongoing medical treatment to recover, and you will most likely miss a substantial amount of time at work. This means that you will also need to recover more compensation. And knowing that insurance companies will pay out the lowest amount they can on every claim, one of the most important things you can do is secure legal representation. With an experienced attorney on your side fighting for you and your rights, you will be able to focus on physically, emotionally, and financially recovering from the accident.

If you, or someone you love, has been seriously hurt or killed by a negligent driver, please call our car accident lawyers in Sacramento at 916.921.6400 or 800.404.5400 for free, friendly advice. When you call, we will go over the details of your accident case and decide how best to proceed. We take my cases on a contingency fee basis – meaning you don’t pay unless we obtain a favorable outcome on your accident case.

We are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

See our past verdicts and settlements and client reviews on Avvo, Yelp, Google.

Editor’s Note: This page has been updated for accuracy and relevancy [cha 9.1.21]