Duluth is a major stop on many of Minnesota’s highways, and while speeding on the city roadways may be relatively minor, once you get out onto the highway, the speed limit seems like it is a little more than a suggestion to some people. However, while speeding cars don’t necessarily look like a big hazard to other drivers, a speeding vehicle is an accident waiting happen. For those who have ever been involved in an accident with a speeding driver, they know how much just few miles over the speed limit can make to the damage and injuries to both parties.
How speeding makes accidents more severe
Speed limits were set in place on all roadways to keep drivers and pedestrians safe. They are set at a specific limit due to the unique aspects of a road. Obviously roadways with many homes and driveways will be looking at slower speed limits while highways will enjoy a higher speed limit, but will still be restricted to a speed that is safe enough for all drivers.
Speed kills
The real issue with speeding in an auto accident is that if one driver was speeding, it dramatically increases the chance that someone involved in that accident will be seriously injured or that a fatality may occur. Based on the laws of physics, the higher speed that a car or cars are travelling, the greater the impact of the collision will be. While cars and their protective metal shell can protect you during lower speed accidents, when someone is going at highway speeds or above, that metal can become as pliable as clay in the force of a high-speed collision.
Speeding in unsafe conditions
Of many speeding accidents, many are the result of driving too fast in unsafe conditions. When speeding on sun-soaked, dry Duluth roadways, it will still take an increased amount of time for the vehicle to stop. This alone can cause accidents. However, if it is raining, snowing, or icy, it takes even longer. Furthermore, many cars will be traveling below the posted speed limit for safety. If a driver approaches them while speeding and cannot safely pass, stopping is going to be difficult and an accident will likely be the result.
Proving speed causes an accident
If you have been in an accident as a result of the other party speeding, then proving it at a glance may seem difficult. However, in accidents, speeding can actually leave behind more evidence then you believe. While the average citizen may not always be able to identify this evidence, often police officers that examine the scene can point it out for any potential future litigation.
Physical evidence
As speeding can cause such dramatic accidents, it will often leave physical evidence behind that can attest that one party was going faster in a zone than they should have been. This physical evidence includes:
- Car Damage – Every single car that goes on the market is collision tested. This means that manufacturers have ratings that detail how much force it takes to cause what level of damage. They will note speed and force needed to cause the damage and that can be used to prove how fast the other car was going.
- Road Debris – Using certain calculations, investigators can use the amount of debris and how far it flew from the scene to calculate speed.
- Skid Marks – Skid marks are not only helpful at determining who is at fault, but the length of the skid marks can help determine if speed was a factor.
This physical evidence that indicates speeding is one of many reasons that you should always highly consider recording the scene of an accident through photographs before anything is cleared away or cleaned up. You cannot measure how far a piece of your car went if you don’t have proof that it flew to an exact spot.
Witnesses
Many accidents don’t always have witnesses to them. However, many in Duluth stop to help with accidents and many more will be certain to speak up if they noticed a driver’s reckless behavior. In these cases, the witness statements should be recorded and their contact information should be noted in case they are needed for trial.
However, random Good Samaritans in Duluth are not the only people that can be witnesses to work in your favor. If you are the victim of a speeding case and take it to trial, your lawyer may be able to find expert witnesses that can come to your aid. These expert witnesses may work as scientists or researchers in the automotive industry. They may be able to examine the evidence in your case and provide their respected professional opinion on it. While the witness testimony of an uninvolved random third party can be used to convince the courts, a professional’s opinion is always regarded highly.
Police reports
With any significant accident, you always want to make sure that police arrive at the scene and draft up a police report. This police report will not only document the scene, but often they will indicate fault. You will also be able to get a copy of the police report and discover if any citations were issued. This can include drug or alcohol use and can include speeding or reckless driving citations. Police reports can often be one of the best elements of evidence in any automobile accident case.
Been in a speed-related accident in Minnesota?
When you head out onto any roadway, you do so with every hope and expectation that you will reach your destination safely. Unfortunately, this is not always so. As some may be in a hurry to reach their destination by going over the speed limit, they put everyone they pass in danger of having a devastating accident with them. If you have been in a speed-related auto accident in northern Minnesota, then you deserve compensation for your injuries and damage to your vehicle. Contact us today to see what Stephens Law P.A. can do to help you recover compensation from your auto accident.