Drivers love to believe they can travel 5 or 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and not get pulled over. Because it’s unlikely we’ll get a ticket every time we speed, it’s tempting to think that speed limits are arbitrary. In reality, speed limits are carefully determined by traffic engineers using a variety of factors, including roadway type, the presence of on-street parking and pedestrian activity, density of traffic, and crash history. The purpose of speed limits is to prevent serious accidents, but if drivers don’t adhere to them, the result can be life-changing for the victim.
Although speeding is incredibly common (10.54% of drivers in the United States have a speeding ticket on their record), speeding is not without its serious consequences. In this article, I’ll describe the serious injuries that can occur due to speeding as well as how a Buttafuoco & Associates car accident lawyer serving New Jersey can help you if you are in an accident because another driver was traveling too fast.
Consequences of Speeding
Speeding may seem harmless, but speeding increases the chances the driver will lose control of their vehicle, reduces the effectiveness of safety equipment like airbags and seatbelts, and increases the severity of crashes. This can lead to severe injuries and even death. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, in New Jersey alone, speeding accounted for 105 traffic deaths in 2019, which was 19% of all traffic deaths in the state. This doesn’t count the many cases of whiplash, spinal cord, and brain injuries that can be caused by these accidents.
Hospital bills for high-speed accident victims can be absolutely outlandish, and insurance companies are unfortunately not always in the business of looking out for victims’ best interests. This is why your best course of action after an accident is to consult with a New Jersey car accident attorney.
What to Do After a Speeding Accident
If you’ve just been in an accident with a speeding motorist, the shock can leave you with significant confusion about what to do. One of the best first steps is to take pictures of the accident site and your injuries. Photographic evidence can include shots of everything from the damage to the vehicles to road conditions and skid marks on the pavement.
Security camera footage of the crash is also strong evidence if it’s available, as it can suggest a motorist’s speed during the collision, and this is just one example of the evidence your lawyer will be responsible for gathering while you recover from your injuries. Buttafuoco & Associates can discuss with you what evidence will be most useful to your claim, but in the meantime, take photos of the accident site and collect and save your medical bills and diagnoses.
Can I Seek Damages if I Was Somewhat at Fault?
This is one of the most common questions our legal team hears from car crash victims. What if, for example, you were also speeding at the time of the accident? It is essential to understand that even if you were partially at fault, this does not prevent you from seeking compensation for your injuries, medical bills, distress, time, and property damage.
New Jersey is what is known as a comparative negligence state. This means even if you were partly at fault, if the other driver was more at fault than you were, you can still seek damages. Calculating degrees of fault can unfortunately be a complex process, and an experienced car accident attorney in New Jersey can help you navigate our state’s comparative negligence laws.
How can Buttafuoco & Associates help you?
At Buttafuoco & Associates, we believe in treating every client like family and are committed to helping you build a case that allows you to receive proper compensation for any damages you incur. Insurance companies are not incentivized to pay out more than they have to in order to settle a claim, but an experienced attorney can prove liability of the other party in a variety of ways, depending on your case.
To find out more about how we can help, get in touch today at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
