Speeding is a significant issue on highways and roads around the world. When you speed, not only are you putting your safety at risk but also that of other drivers. If a driver is speeding, they have less time to react if something happens in front of them. This can result in serious car accidents involving many vehicles or pedestrians. Furthermore, cars traveling at high speeds increase the chances of collision-related injuries and fatalities.

In addition to the physical risks associated with speeding, there are also legal consequences. Depending on where you live, getting into an accident while speeding can lead to fines or even jail time for reckless driving or vehicular manslaughter. Even if no one was injured in the accident, the driver who was speeding could still face legal repercussions.

What Happens If I Create An Accident Speeding?

You may face legal consequences if you injure someone while speeding in a car accident. Depending on the jurisdiction, you could be charged with reckless driving, negligence, or criminal charges. These could result in fines, jail time, or other penalties. In addition to criminal sanctions, a civil suit may also be brought against you by the injured person. This can include a wrongful death claim from a family member of the deceased if necessary. If successful, this could result in significant financial damages awarded to the injured party or their family. Driving recklessly is dangerous and should never be taken lightly – it’s important to understand that there are consequences for your actions, both legally and financially, when operating any motor vehicle. It is essential to obey all traffic laws and drive responsibly.

So it’s important to remember that speeding is a serious issue and should be avoided at all costs. The risks involved with speeding are too significant and could have potentially fatal consequences. When driving on the highway, drive safely and follow the speed limit signs posted around you. That way, you can help keep everyone on the road safe!

The speeding risks are real and should not be taken lightly. So the next time you’re driving on the highway, keep these facts in mind and stay within the speed limit – it could save your life!

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post about the dangers of speeding and car accidents. We hope that you now understand better why speeding can have such serious repercussions. Remember: drive safely, follow the speed limit signs, and help keep everyone on the road safe!

The post The Speed limit is there for a Reason: the Repercussions of speeding appeared first on The Law Offices of Roberto Hernandez, PLLC..

About 1 in 25 drivers have admitted to falling asleep while driving. If a driver falls asleep while driving, it often results in complete loss of control of the car and leaves the driver with almost no time to react and avoid a car crash. However, a driver doesn’t have to fall asleep, so drowsy driving is deemed dangerous. Drowsiness behind the wheel can cause the following:

• Significant decrease in the ability to focus on the road
• Little to no reaction time to avoid accidents
• Reduced ability to use proper judgment

If you are ever in a situation where you miss an exit, start yawning profusely, feel your eyes begin to get heavy, forget the last few miles you drove, hit rumble strips, or start drifting from your lane due to drowsiness, pull over immediately and get some rest. Do not return to the road until you have gotten rest. These are all warning signs that your sleepiness has become unsafe for you and other motorists. If you ignore these red flags and continue to drive, you will eventually crash into another vehicle.

If a driver was aware that they were drowsy and chose to stay on the road, any injured victims have the absolute right to seek as much compensation as necessary from the negligent driver. If you have been involved in a drowsy driving accident, call your local car accident expert attorneys to know your rights and the best course of action.

Most Common Drowsy Drivers

The most dangerous drowsy drivers are commercial drivers that operate large trucks. It almost feels sometimes that it is encouraged to have commercial drivers drive through their drowsiness. With strict deadlines, boring or monotonous work shifts, the comfort of sleeping in their trucks, and most changes happening in the late hours of the night to avoid traffic, it’s not to our astonishment that commercial drivers are involved in drowsy car accidents. Instead of these drivers obtaining the proper amount of rest, they resort to the consumption of coffee, energy drinks, and in some cases, drugs to cope with their exhaustion. Commercial drivers need to be fully aware of the devastating consequences of semi-truck accidents, as many of them result in life-threatening injuries or death. 

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Where do Traffic Collisions Happen?

According to a study provided by Progressive Insurance, over 50 percent of non-fatal car accidents happen within 5 miles from someone’s home.  This number jumps to almost 80 percent when the radius is extended to within 15 miles of residential areas.  With that said, here are some other areas where traffic accidents tend to occur.

Rural Roads and Farmlands

Fatal car accidents tend to happen on rural roads.  When you think about rear-end collisions, people tend to think of frequent red lights.  This constant moving and stopping of your car can be frustrating.  Motorists can find themselves daydreaming, being distracted, and thinking of other things, and end up hitting the car in front of them.  On rural roads, there are far fewer stop signs, lights, and intersections.  People often tend to speed because they know that there will be fewer cops and are far less likely to receive a speeding ticket.  So remember, car accidents that take lives often happen on two-lane rural roads, where vehicles can have a high-speed head-on collision.

Intersections

Although the number of fatal car crashes is not as common in intersections, the number of actual accidents is quite high in these areas.  It is always a good idea to pay attention and have a heightened sense of what is going on when entering an intersection.  Defensive driving is important in these areas.  Essentially you are looking out for other drivers to make a mistake that will result in an accident.  For example, improper left-hand turns can happen and a vehicle is now in front of oncoming traffic that had the right of way.  Distracted driving is another large culprit.  People can be distracted and run a red light.  We recommend taking a few seconds to ensure that someone is not running the light and is going to make a full stop before you proceed through the intersection, even if you have a green arrow or light.

Parking Lots and Garages

Another area where we see an increase in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents is in parking lots and garages.  People tend to throw away normal rules of the road and drive more like they are in a bumper car arena.  A common accident occurs when someone is backing out of a parking spot and hit a parked car.  Another situation can arise when a driver enters a one-way lane in a parking garage or drives outside the lines in order to shorten the distance they need to drive to hit an open parking spot.  Stay on your toes the next time you are in a parking lot and don’t assume that because you are doing the right thing, others will as well.

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About 8:42 a.m., the man was eastbound in a 1999 Ford Explorer on state Route 132 in Nephi Canyon when he drifted on the right side of the road, Utah Department of Public Safety officials said in a news release.

The driver then overcorrected after returning to the road and drove across both travel lanes and off the westbound shoulder, causing the car to roll several times before resting on its roof.

The driver and passenger both had seatbelts on, officials said.

( www.ksl.com)

The Importance of seat belts.  

My point to this blog, and in highlighting the tragedy above, is the Importance of seatbelts. Did you know that:

Of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, 47% were not wearing seat belts. In 2017 alone,  seat belts saved an estimated 14,955 lives and could have saved an additional 2,549 people if they had been wearing a seat belt.

( www.nhtsa.gov)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of death among those aged 5 to 34. The most reliable method of saving lives and preventing injuries from occurring is to wear a seat belt. However, millions of drivers and passengers choose not to wear seat belts on everyday occasions. Various statistics regarding seat belt usage include:

• Seat belts can reduce injury and death rates by 50%
• Adults aged 18-34 are less likely to wear seat belts than those 35 or older
• Men are 10% less likely to wear seat belts than women
• In 2011, 58% of teen drivers killed in crashes were not wearing a seat belt
• Teens have the lowest seat belt use of any other age group

( www.vdriveusa.com)

According to the Naval Safety Center, only 1% of passengers wearing a seat belt were ejected from a car during a crash. Consequently, whether you’re in the driver’s seat, the passenger’s seat, or riding in the back, wearing a seat belt is equally important. 

Most of all, not wearing a seat belt is against the law and could cause you to lose your life or be seriously injured.

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• Speeding
• Distracted driving (texting or eating while driving)
• High traffic times
• Road Rage
• Mechanical failure
• Fatigued driving
• Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol

If you have been a driver or passenger on Utah’s road, you can see these infractions and dangers on almost a daily basis. Many times, people will follow too closely to the car in front of them. This common situation means that the car cannot properly stop in time should the vehicle they follow needs to make a quick maneuver. In most cases, the person that was following too closely will be found at-fault. Utah’s traffic laws do not allow for many situations where a driver will rear-end someone and not be found to be the person responsible for the traffic accident. It is crucial for individuals who have been hit by a car behind them to speak with an injury lawyer to learn more about their case. It is not right or fair for them to bear the accident’s burden because it was the fault of another.

What injuries can a rear-end collision cause?

Rear-end collisions can often lead to serious damage to personal health. One of the many reasons this is true is because the passengers in the vehicle that has been struct did not see the car coming since it was behind them. This does not allow them to prepare for the accident and brace themselves for impact. One of the most common injuries includes whiplash, where the head is violently shaken back and forth. Remember that significant damage can happen from both high-impact and low-impact collisions. You should seek medical attention after a car accident, even if you initially do not think you have been injured. As a victim of rear-end collisions, there is not much that can be done to avoid these types of accidents. Most vehicles are in a stopped position when they are struck. This is why it is up to everyone to stay alert when their car is in operation.

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