Traffic fatalities caused by speeding are not unusual in the U.S. where many roads and highways have high speed limits that motorists regularly violate. In 2020 alone, the United States saw over 11,000 traffic fatalities due to speeding. New York is amongst the states that also see a significantly high rate of speeding fatalities.
New York sees high rate of speeding fatalities
New York ranked 10th in the states with the highest percentage of speeding fatalities from 2010 to 2020. New York saw 378 traffic crashes during that period in which speed was a factor. This represented 36% of all traffic fatalities in the state in that period.
Why is speeding so dangerous?
Speed limits exist for a reason. Professionals have determined that they are the safest rate of speed that standard vehicles can travel on that specific road in that specific geographic area. Large vehicles, such as semi-trucks, often must follow a lower speed limit than standard vehicles.
Speed limits in neighborhoods and school zones are generally reduced to account for the presence of children in the area. Urban well-populated areas that see heavy traffic generally have different speed limits than lower-populated rural areas that see little traffic.
No matter what the speed limit, high or low, if it is violated it is likely that a motorist could either lose control of their vehicle or be unable to stop in time to avoid a crash. Either way, these crashes could be avoided if motorists simply followed the posted speed limit, as they have a legal duty to do. Those who are injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by speeding drivers might choose to take legal action to recoup financially for the damages they suffered in the collision.