Jacksonville Injury Attorney Blog
A woman was killed last Tuesday afternoon when a Dodge Durango crashed into her car as she was waiting to pull out of a church parking lot at 2:30 in the afternoon.
According to a story by Jacksonville.com, the driver of the Durango was traveling at excessive speeds and could not properly negotiate a turn near Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church on Edgewood Avenue in Jacksonville. As the driver lost control, the Durango slammed into the woman’s car. One passenger from the Durango got out and was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Durango and the other passenger fled the scene. Police have apprehended the driver, but are still looking for the passenger.
Speeding Remains a Leading Cause of Traffic Accidents
Among all the potential causes for fatal traffic accidents, speeding is still one of the most common. About one third of all fatal traffic accidents are the result of at least one car traveling in excess of the speed limit. In 2007, there were more than 13,000 lives lost in the United States due to speeding. Other major causes of fatal traffic accidents are distracted driving and drunk driving.
According to the American Association of Automobiles, half of the drivers in a recent survey admit to exceeding the speed limit by more than 15% on residential roads and highways. The same survey shows that most drivers consider speeding acceptable.
A significant safety hazard posed by speeding is that it decreases the amount of time it takes a driver to recognize there is a hazard in the road and respond to it. Obviously, a car takes longer to stop the faster it is going. In addition, sometimes drivers don’t realize how tight some turns are. That is what happened in the above story; the driver failed to properly negotiate the turn and ended up losing control of the vehicle.
Consequences of Speeding
Aside from being issued a traffic ticket, paying a fine and possibly adding points to your driving record, a speeder might also face serious civil penalties for an injury or property damage he or she causes as a result of speeding. In many cases, if the injured party can show that the driver was negligent in traveling at the excessive rate of speed, and the driver’s speeding caused the injury or property damage, the injured party can recover monetary damages from the speeder. Aside from compensating the injured party, this serves a useful purpose in deterring dangerous driving habits.
See Related Blog Posts:
– Driver in Fatal Jacksonville Traffic Accident Had Been Previously Involved in Another Fatal Crash
– How Does Fault Work in Florida Negligence Cases?
Victim of a Reckless Driver?
Consciously disregarding the speed limit is dangerous and can result in serious injury or death. If you or a loved one have fallen victim to the negligent or reckless driving habits of another driver, you might be entitled to monetary damages. To determine what options you have, and to better understand what might be the best course of action for you and your family, you should contact an experienced Jacksonville accident attorney immediately. Click here to schedule a free initial consultation today, or call 904-632-0077.