Speeding may seem exciting at the moment, but the risks and potential consequences are simply not worth it. Excessive speed is directly linked to thousands of fatal crashes each year in the United States.
Before hitting the accelerator, drivers need to think carefully about the dangers involved and make the smart choice to obey speed limits for the safety of everyone. Click here to learn what you can do in the event of an accident caused by speeding.
Continue reading to understand why speeding is never a good idea.
Legal Consequences
Getting caught speeding almost always results in a ticket and a fine, which increases depending on how much over the limit you were going. In some cases, points may be added to your license, which can lead to increased insurance rates. However, you can decide to contest a ticket.
If you disregard a traffic ticket and do not answer within the term specified on the citation, you may receive a notice saying that you are in default and must pay extra late fines, depending on the state. If you continue to disregard the ticket, your license may be canceled or suspended.
Luckily, you can easily find trusted law firms that offer specialized traffic ticket attorney services in Los Angeles, so if you are in the area you can seek their help to contest your ticket and potentially reduce the penalties. In addition to the fines, habitual speeding offenders may also face more serious legal consequences such as mandatory driving courses, community service, or even jail time in extreme cases. It’s always better to drive safely and avoid these unnecessary complications altogether.
Increased Risk of Accidents
Studies have consistently shown that speeding dramatically increases your risk of being involved in an accident. At higher speeds, your stopping distance increases, and your reaction time is reduced.
Speeding reduces your ability to respond to changing road conditions and avoid potential hazards and obstacles in the roadway. This puts not only the speeding driver at greater risk but also any passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians. Speeding is simply not worth the greatly increased risk of a potentially devastating accident.
More Severe Accidents
While the likelihood of getting into an accident increases with speeding, so does the potential severity of the accident. Collisions occurring at higher rates of speed are much more forceful, and the energy involved is exponentially greater. This often leads to more severe vehicle damage, serious injuries to occupants, and a higher incidence of fatalities. The cool factor of speeding is negligible compared to the extreme physical consequences of a high-speed collision. It’s just not worth the potential harm.
Insurance Rate Increases
Being ticketed for a speeding violation will likely lead to increased car insurance rates, as insurance companies view speeders as irresponsible, reckless, and higher-risk drivers. Depending on your auto insurance provider and policy specifics, a single ticket for excessive speeding can increase your premium by 35% on average. Multiple tickets can cause rates to skyrocket over time. The temporary thrill of speeding comes at a high long-term cost when your insurance rates increase for the next 3–5 years.
Reckless Example for Others
When motorists see others driving at excessive speeds, they may assume doing the same is acceptable. Speeding sets a poor example, especially for young new drivers who are still forming their driving habits. Promoting a culture of speeding will only lead to more dangerous roads and irresponsible driving behavior. Responsible drivers realize it’s not worth the influence of normalizing unlawful, unsafe speeds.
Danger to Pedestrians and Cyclists
Speeding motorists are a tremendous threat to pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. At higher rates of speed, drivers have far less time to react to a person or cyclist on the side of the roadway. A speeding driver is more likely to critically injure or kill a pedestrian they hit compared to a driver obeying the speed limit. It’s not worth putting innocent lives at risk for the sake of the speeding “thrill.”
Final Thoughts
While some drivers unfortunately still see speeding as glamorous, the harsh reality is that the risks and consequences far outweigh any perceived “coolness” factor. Driving within the posted speed limit is the wisest choice – it protects public safety, your wallet, and your driving record. If you or your loved one is ever involved in a car accident due to speeding, you should contact a car accident attorney. They can help you get the compensation you deserve.
