When you are on the road, it’s important that you follow traffic laws and respect your fellow motorists. Whether it’s highways or our city streets, these are shared spaces and there needs to be some sense of order and law in order to prevent serious injury accidents that can potentially involve multi-car pileups.
One of the most common things that reckless drivers do is exceed the posted speed limit. Our personal injury attorneys notice this a lot, and it’s something that should not be taken lightly. Let’s take a moment right now to consider some of the basics with regard to speeding and how our legal team can help you with these matters should you or a loved one fall victim to a reckless driver.
About Speeding
Speeding refers to motorists exceeding the posted speed limit on the roadway on which they are driving. This does not mean minor violations of the speed limit, but significant excessive speed that puts others at risk.
Why Speeding Is So Dangerous for Other Motorists
When a person speeds on a city street or highway, this can lead to other drivers being put at risk. A driver who is going much faster that his or her fellow motorists may dart around other vehicles in order to maintain this high speed. The constant lane changes and cutting off of other drivers increases the chances of potential sideswipe collisions. In addition, excessive speed may lead to tailgating of motorists who are going a reasonable speed, increasing the chances of a rear-end auto accident.
Our car accident attorneys address many cases in which a speeding motorist has harmed others through acting recklessly, and we think these drivers need to be held accountable for the havoc they cause.
Why Speeding Is So Dangerous to Non-Motorists
In addition to putting other motorists at risk, speeding drivers on city streets put bicyclists and pedestrians at risk as well. In the case of bicyclists, speeding drivers do not provide enough warning time for bicyclists to react, which can lead to catastrophic injuries. The same goes for pedestrians, who may expect vehicles to be going reasonable speeds in their neighborhoods. Speeding increases the chances of running red lights and striking pedestrians who may be abiding by basic rules of the road.
Reckless Drivers Pose Dangers to Themselves as Well
Anyone who is speeding needs to also consider the danger they pose to themselves and any passengers in the vehicle. Speeding can increase the chances of sudden braking, swerving, and loss of control of a vehicle. Everyone is at risk when a person doesn’t observe regular traffic laws, and this level of endangerment is uncalled for.
Dealing with Speeding Drivers
When it comes to dealing with speeding drivers, you should continue to drive a reasonable speed and not try to challenge, agitate, or antagonize the speeding driver. If you are being tailgated, try to change lanes as you normally would to let the speeding driver pass. When you are able to do so safely, report the speeding driver to authorities if he or she poses a significant danger on the road.
If you or a loved one is harmed by a speeding driver, it’s in your best interests to speak with our attorneys as soon as possible to get the legal wheels in motion.
Learn More About Auto Accident Litigation
For more information about auto accident cases and how we can help you achieve justice in a court of law, be sure to contact our New Oleans, LA personal injury attorneys today. The entire team here looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you receive just compensation following an injury accident.