Speeding Plays Large Role in Traffic Deaths

Our last post explained the prevalence of speeding on American roadways and how it led to as many deaths as both alcohol-related driving and lack of seatbelt usage. Aside from highlighting the findings of its research, however, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also emphasized the need for traffic engineers to rethink historical guidelines when deciding what speed limit to assign to a certain area of a roadway.

There also has been criticism of highway engineers by at least one advocacy group for creating streets and roads that actually encourage drivers to speed, resulting in accidents with injuries, some of which are fatal. Rather than simply blindly follow guidelines that have existed for years, traffic engineers need to disregard past assumptions and policies and figure out how to reduce speeding-related accidents.

The traditional theory behind assigning certain speed limits and building roads is that the greater the variation in speed of vehicles from the average speed of vehicles in traffic, the more likely an accident is to occur. As a result, engineers designed efficient roads that would avoid much of the “stop-and-go” style of driving, which increased the speed differential between vehicles. Governments also use the “85^th percentile rule” to set speed limits. The theory behind this rule is that a speed limit is high enough that 85% of drivers would drive below that limit, even if no speed limit signs were posted.

Additionally, the NTSB called for law enforcement agencies to carry out a national anti-speeding campaign, similar to the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign concerning seatbelt usage. Finally, NTSB also called on carmakers to create, introduce, and implement technology in their vehicles that alerts drivers when they go over the speed limit and perhaps even slows them down automatically.

The experienced Wisconsin personal injury attorneys of Boller & Vaughan are here to help you through the aftermath of a motor vehicle crash, including dealing with the insurance companies involved and ensuring that they follow all of the necessary rules and regulations. We can look into the circumstances surrounding your accident, assess the situation, and evaluate any claims that you may have for damages. We know how to determine fault in a car accident, and build a strong personal injury claim based on that determination. Contact our office today in order to schedule a free initial consultation about any potential claim that you may have.